Ben Needham: Message over hunt for missing Sheffield boy Ben, as search enters another year

Ben went missing on the Greek island of Kos, in July 1991, with a search having so far failed to trace him. He was just 21 months old when he went missing.

Now the family have placed a message on the Facebook page they set up to help find him, pledging to continue the search throughout 2025 and beyond.

The Christmas message on the site run by Ben’s Mum Kerry, sister Leighanna and friends of the family, wishes their supporters a Merry Christmas and adds: “We believe Ben could have been part of a Child Trafficking ring and may have no idea who he is.

“If you believe you could be Ben, or know what happened on that day in 1991, please contact us and help us achieve a Christmas miracle.”

It added: “We will never give up on the search for Ben and the truth on what happened that day.”

Ben, from Sheffield, was visiting the Greek island of Kos with his mum Kerry when the toddler disappeared.

He was playing outside a farmhouse his grandparents were renovating after they had swapped South Yorkshire for a new life in the sun.

There have been many theories investigated by detectives over the years, including that Ben was 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 died as a result of an accident

The force said detectives believed that Ben died as a result of a digger clearing land close to where the toddler 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.

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“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.”

Ben’s mum, Kerry, maintains hope that Ben is still alive and regularly appeals for people with information to come forward.