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Notre Dame fire: Man in viral 'dad and daughter' picture comes forward

A father pictured playing with his daughter in front of Notre Dame before this week's devastating fire has come forward after the photo went viral.

Brooke Windsor took the picture, of the man playfully lifting the girl off the ground in front of the cathedral, an hour before Monday's inferno took hold.

On Tuesday, after the blaze, Ms Windsor posted the picture on Twitter in a plea for the man to receive the photo.

The tweet was shared over 200,000 times, and Ms Windsor said on Thursday that the man had got in touch with her – though he wished to remain anonymous.

She posted: “The search is over! The photo has reached the dad & family. He has chosen to remain anonymous in the wake of tragedy, and writes: “Thanks again for that beautiful photo, we will find a special place for it.” Thank you to everyone who has shared the picture and for your kind words.”

It came as a police official said the most likely cause of the blaze was an electrical short circuit.

The probe continued on Thursday as France paid a day-long tribute to the Paris firefighters who saved the cathedral from collapse and rescued its treasures.

President Emmanuel Macron said the firefighters, who battled the fast-moving fire for nine hours, will receive a medal for their courage and devotion.