Search for Ben Needham ends in Greece with no proof he is dead
The search for Ben Needham on the Greek island of Kos has ended after three weeks, with no proof that the toddler died soon after going missing 25 years ago.
ITV News Calendar Presenter Duncan Wood tweeted that police and volunteers left the excavation sites after ending their search.
Last month, a team of detectives and specialists began a new dig on the island for the missing Sheffield toddler, who vanished near a farmhouse his grandparents were renovating in July 1991.
Detectives launched the search after a new line of inquiry suggested a local businessman may have accidentally crushed Ben to death near the farmhouse.
Investigators had said they were "optimistic" about the prospects of the search, but warned Ben's mother Kerry Needham to "prepare for the worst".
The search team examined more than 800 tonnes of material as part of the investigation.
Ms Needham recently told ITV's Good Morning Britain of her anguish living without knowing what happened to her son.
"We can't live another 25 years like this, my parents can't and I can't," she said.
"It's not the best solution but it will eventually lay it to rest for us, we're all extremely tired and distressed."
“We’re trying to remain as calm as we possibly can, it’s an agonising wait every day from news from the police," Ms Needham added.
"They are in constant contact with us and updating us on everything but every time the phone rings you think ‘is this going to be the one with the bad news?’ It’s stressful, it’s frustrating, it’s painful but we’re trying to stay as strong as we possible can.”