Ben Needham: Danish man comes forward in search for toddler who went missing on Kos in 1991
The mother of missing Ben Needham has spoken of the ongoing "trauma" of the search for a breakthrough after another man came forward claiming he could be her son.
Kerry Needham is no closer to knowing what happened to Ben, who was 21 months old when he went missing from the Greek island of Kos in July 1991.
DNA tests are now being carried out on a man from Denmark who believes he could have the answers.
Speaking to ITV News, Ms Needham said: "We had a message via Ben's Facebook page from a guy in Denmark who states that he is trying to find his real family.
"He claims he was taken from Greece. His grandparents have told him that. From what I understand he had been living with his grandparents most of his life.
"He knows the parents who brought him up are not his real parents.
"He'd obviously been doing a little bit of research on Ben's case and contacted South Yorkshire Police directly himself as well to try and arrange a DNA test.
"There's a lot of things that don't add up within his childhood. Again, we just have to sit back and wait and be as patient as we possibly can until we get the results."
She added: "Every time there's information or a new lead or someone comes forward it's traumatic, it's distressing."
Ben, who was from Sheffield, was playing outside a farmhouse being renovated by his grandfather in the village of Irakles when he vanished.
The family, including Kerry's parents and two brothers, had moved to the island earlier in the year to start a new life.
There has been no sign of the toddler since. Two major excavations around the farmhouse in 2012 and 2016 found no definitive proof of what happened.
The latest development comes after a number of unfounded claims from other people believing they may be Ben.
Last year DNA tests were carried out on the body of a boy found in the River Danube in Germany. South Yorkshire Police confirmed the result had come back negative.
Ms Needham said: "It is very, very hard because you want it to be [Ben] so badly. It's something we've done for 33 years so I suppose people think you get used to it but you don't.
As the 33rd anniversary of Ben's disappearance approaches, she said she continued to live with the "painful memories".
"Of course every day is difficult but coming up to that day I'm feeling more emotional," she said.
"Not because I think this one's any closer to being Ben, I think it's just the timing of this man coming forward. It has an awful effect.
"We do try because of past experiences not to read too much into it, not to try and make things fit.
"It's too painful to get to know somebody quite personally and then it turn out not to be Ben once the DNA comes back."
Ms Needham said she has had numerous messages from people hoping for a breakthrough.
"Sat here waiting for the news, waiting for the phone to ring from the police, it is distressing," she said.
Det Insp Matt Bolger, of South Yorkshire Police, confirmed the force was aware of the Danish man's claims.
He said: "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.
"Whist 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."
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