Family of missing Ben Needham from Sheffield vow to never give up search as they mark 30th birthday

The family of missing Ben Needham from Sheffield urged people to light a candle for him on his 30th birthday as they vowed to never give up the search for him.
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Ben, whose 30th birthday is today, was 21 months old when he vanished on the Greek island of Kos in July 1991.

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The toddler’s mum, Kerry, had taken him to the island to see her parents, who had moved there for a new life.

Ben Needham vanished when he was 21 months old Ben Needham vanished when he was 21 months old
Ben Needham vanished when he was 21 months old
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Ben was playing outside a remote farmhouse his grandfather was renovating when he vanished.

In October 2016, after more visits and excavation work on Kos, South Yorkshire Police announced that detectives believed Ben died as a result of an accident near to where he was last seen alive.

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A number of theories have been investigated over the years, including suggestions that Ben was abducted, but they have never been proven.

South Yorkshire detectives believe that Ben was killed by a digger clearing land close to where he 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.

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"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."

A Facebook post today on the Find Ben Needham page, supported by his family, says: “In honour of Ben's birthday we are asking you to light a birthday candle for Ben and post it on this thread and post where in the world you are posting from.

“Let's light up the page for Ben. We so wish you were here Ben we will never give up on the search for you to bring you home.”