Ben Needham: Danish man claims to be missing Sheffield toddler who vanished from Greek island 33 years ago

This Wednesday (July 24) marks 33 years since the day Toddler Ben disappeared on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

To this day, his family says there is no proof Ben - who was 21-months-old when he vanished - is dead and that "someone out there knows exactly where Ben is".

Now, Ben’s mum Kerry Needham is patiently waiting for results to show if her agonizing wait for answers is over, as a Danish man has come forward claiming to be son, The Mirror reports.

The unnamed man from Denmark claims his grandparents have told him he was taken from Kos as a child, and that his parents have refused to deny the claims. Further, he remembers an incident at a market 25 years ago where someone identified him as “Ben.”

However, this is reportedly also the third time his year someone has come forward claiming to be Ben.

Kerry told The Mirror: “This man is looking for his real family and he has given Danish police a sample of his DNA, which South Yorkshire Police are trying to get hold of via Interpol to do a comparison with Ben’s.

“In 33 years we’ve had hundreds of alleged sightings, the majority of them we have followed up ourselves in the earlier years.

“But at least South Yorkshire Police are trying to get me answers and I can’t praise them enough.”

The force’s theory is Ben may have died in a digger accident. However, blood discovered at the scene in 2016 was found not to belong to Ben, and a key witness that prompted the theory is now reportedly refusing to talk to police again.

Kerry said: “You can’t end an investigation with nothing to go on and a man’s claim who now won’t talk.

“I can’t believe it’s been 33 years and in October he will be 35. My mum is 72 and dad is 76. I don’t want something to happen to my parents without them knowing.”

Ben went missing in July 1991 on Kos while playing outside a farmhouse that his grandad Eddie was renovating in the village of Irakles.

Kerry's parents had moved to the island earlier in the year to start a new life.

In the 2023, Ben's family fought for DNA tests to be carried out on the body of a little boy who was found in a German River after facial reconstructions appeared similar. However, police stated there was no match.

October 14, 2023, marked the seventh anniversary since police ended their search for Ben and concluded the 21-month-old had probably died in an accident on the day he disappeared.

Speaking on the anniversary, they family said in a statement: "Since that day (seven years ago), DNA evidence was taken from the items recovered from the search," they said in a statement on the Help Find Ben Needham Facebook page.

"Decomposed blood was found on one of those items. The DNA did not belong to Ben. There is no proof that Ben has died. We will never stop searching.

"Somebody out there knows exactly where Ben is and what happened that day. It's never too late to do the right thing."

Ben's family urged anyone who knows anything to contact South Yorkshire Police, or to get in touch with them directly via the Help Find Ben Needham Facebook page or by emailing [email protected].