33 years ago today, a Sheffield toddler went out to play and was never seen again.

It was July 24, 1991, when Ben Needham, who was 21 months old, vanished on the Greek island of Kos during a visit to the sunshine isle to see his grandparents, who had moved there.

Sheffield boy Ben Needham was just 21 months old when he went missing on the Greek island of Kos | Submitted

placeholder image — Sheffield boy Ben Needham was just 21 months old when he went missing on the Greek island of Kos | Submitted

Three decades on, Ben is still missing and the agony felt by his family back then continues. The family’s search for Ben has never abated.

This week it emerged that a man claiming to be Ben Needham had come forward to authorities in Denmark.

A DNA sample has been provided to confirm his suspicion or to rule his theory out.

Ben Needham has been missing since 1991 | PA

The unnamed man from Denmark says his grandparents 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.”

In a statement today, South Yorkshire Police said: “On the anniversary of the disappearance of 21-month-old Ben Needham on the Greek Island of Kos 33 years ago, in 1991, our thoughts are with Ben’s family. “We are aware of reports of a man who believes himself to be Ben Needham coming forward to authorities in Denmark. As with every report of this nature, a DNA test has been taken which will be compared to the DNA sample held by South Yorkshire Police in order to provide Ben’s family with a definitive answer.

“Whilst South Yorkshire Police has no jurisdiction in Greece, we are keen to support Greek authorities and Ben’s family in any way we can and a senior investigating officer remains in contact with Greek counterparts.

“Our thoughts are with Ben’s family who have never given up hope of discovering the truth of what happened on the 24 July 1991 and we will continue to support them in that endeavour.”

Missing Ben Needham, from Sheffield | Submit

Ben was playing outside a farmhouse his grandfather was renovating in a Kos village when he vanished.

His mum Kerry had taken the toddler to the island, where her parents were living at the time, for a summer holiday. She was also considering moving out there to begin a new life away from her home city of Sheffield.

But that dream turned to a nightmare when Ben disappeared.

There have been many theories investigated by detectives over the years, including the theory that Ben had been abducted.

Large scale land excavation work was carried out around the farmhouse where Ben was last seen alive and despite the lack of human remains, South Yorkshire Police announced in October 2016 that detectives believed Ben had died as a result of an accident near to where he was last seen alive.

The force said it was the belief of detectives that Ben had been killed as a result of a digger clearing land close to where the toddler vanished.

Police believe a man, who has since died, was operating a digger to clear a building plot at the time Ben vanished.

Det Insp Jon Cousins said at the time: “During the course of the inquiries we have made over the last 19 months, we have closed off a large number of theories about what happened to Ben, many of which have been open for over 20 years.

“My team and I know that machinery, including a large digger, was used to clear an area of land on 24 July 1991, behind the farmhouse that was being renovated by the Needhams.

“It is my professional belief that Ben Needham died as a result of an accident near to the farmhouse in Iraklis where he was last seen playing.”