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PA WIRE

Mother of missing UK toddler told he may have been killed in Greek digger accident

Ben Needham was 21 months old when he disappeared on the Greek island of Kos.

THE MOTHER OF missing UK toddler Ben Needham, who disappeared in the Greek island of Kos 25 years ago, has said police told her that her son may have been killed in a digger accident.

Today South Yorkshire Police Officers said officers will be travelling to Kos in the coming weeks to follow up new lines of enquiry in the investigation.

“Working with the Greek Authorities, officers are now in a position to travel back to the island and commence ‘digs’ at two sites close to where Ben was last seen on 24 July 1991,” they said in a statement today.

Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick leading the investigation said: “We continue to keep an open mind and have updated Ben’s family about certain lines of enquiry we’re currently exploring.

In limbo

The boy’s mother Kerry and police from the UK had made a media appeal in Greece in May this year, and police said this prompted new information and lines of enquiry, which have been explored and investigated over the last three months.

Speaking to ITV today, Kery Needham said she has been told that it is suspected her little boy was struck by a JCB digger near where he was last seen.

In a way it would be better if they do find something, because then I know, I do know. And although that will be extremely difficult to deal with, I will be able to deal with it in my own way, in my own time, with support of people around me. If they don’t find anything, I’m still living in limbo then aren’t I? Is he still out there? Is he not? I don’t know what’s worse.

“As a mother, the thought of your child hurting and suffering, I think that’s more unbearable to deal with really,” she said.

“I just hope that I’ve got the strength to get through it this time, maybe it’s for the last time.”

Read: UK police and mother of missing toddler to make appeal to Greek public>

Read: Man calls TV show saying he looks like toddler who went missing 24 years ago>

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24 Comments
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:16 PM

    I really hope his mother finds closure. This has been going on too long.

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    Mute Alex Jones
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:42 PM

    @Deborah Behan:

    …..and father.

    235
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    Mute Boeing Lover
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    Sep 16th 2016, 9:19 PM

    Unfortunately fathers don’t matter in these situations, its as if we don’t love and nurture our kids as much or that we aren’t around!

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    Mute Frank's Cat
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    Sep 16th 2016, 9:52 PM

    Newsflash! The story is not about you.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Sep 16th 2016, 9:56 PM

    Plus it was the mother who was interviewed / spoken to …

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    Mute jenni
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    Sep 16th 2016, 10:27 PM

    seriously..yous are fighting over who cared the most? Are yous reaĺly that sad? And you aren’t even family..shame on yous

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    Mute Kieran C
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    Sep 17th 2016, 12:01 AM

    Hey! Don’t worry about the feminazis who red thumbed you.Complete a** holes.

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    Mute Kieran C
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    Sep 17th 2016, 12:02 AM

    @ boeing

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    Mute Kieran C
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    Sep 17th 2016, 12:26 AM

    Boeing-millions agree with you.F*ck the ignorant s*umbags.

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    Mute Neal not Neil
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    Sep 17th 2016, 7:32 AM

    That’s lovely language.

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    Mute Winston Smith
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:22 PM

    God, surely if this is true and made public at the time it would have been so much better for all involved at the time and after, no matter how painful.

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    Mute Mick12
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:22 PM

    How the hell did it take them 25 year’s to work that out. Surely the Greek police could have told them that back then.

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    Mute Maria Hickey-Fagan
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:30 PM

    I read today that the digger driver, Dino, only died last week and his friend came forward with this news. If he is found then it looks very much like they covered it up.

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    Mute Pat O Brien
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:38 PM

    You assume that the Greek police knew back then….stop jumping to conclusions.

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    Mute Paul A Whelan
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:52 PM

    Pat. You’re jumping just as high.

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    Mute Pat O Brien
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    Sep 17th 2016, 6:25 AM

    How am I? I’m not assuming anything.

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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Sep 17th 2016, 6:48 AM

    I suppose we are all jumping to conclusions, but I think the premise of the comment above is that the guy in the JCB accidentally knocked the child while operating the digger, covered the child to hide the accident , then later was distraught and he told the story to his close friend, after the JCB driver died years later, his friend came forward and informed the police of what he had been told. The police only got the story recently after the digger drivers friend came forward. Anyway I hope the family get some closure on a really tragic ordeal

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    Mute nf
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    Sep 17th 2016, 7:58 AM

    Time and a place Michael…and this isn’t it

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Sep 17th 2016, 9:24 AM

    If the child was killed by the digger and the driver knew this had happened by accident or otherwise it was heartless and unconscionable that he went to his own grave without disclosing what had happened in order to bring closure to the parents. It would appear to have been a genuine accident. He must have known the anguish and heartache he caused the parents of the child if this is so. My sympathy lies with the parents of the child not with those who colluded in the cover up. Hence my comment. It took the cover up of the digger driver on his burial to bring to light the literal cover up of the unfortunate child by the digger. Therein lies the irony.

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    Mute Abe Brennan
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    Sep 16th 2016, 8:59 PM

    Really hope once and for all this family get closure.

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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Sep 16th 2016, 10:23 PM

    Very sad.
    A little face of pure innocence.

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    Mute debco
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    Sep 17th 2016, 12:24 AM

    As a Mother I can’t imagine the pain his perents have gone/going through and if true their dreaming and wishing of what if will be over.

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    Mute Missyb211
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    Sep 17th 2016, 8:05 AM

    In 2012 they searched all the grounds of his grandparents home where he disappeared from. Construction work was being carried out at the time and the jcb driver came forward t in 2012 and said he was dumping earth in a field close by and thought maybe an accident might have happened to the child. I think they actually found little toys cars and all like as if he was playing there. The mother did not believe in the accident theory and indeed they found nothing. i think they will this time.

    11
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