Ben Needham: Police Find ‘Light Fabric’ In Dig For Missing Toddler

Pieces of light coloured fabric have been recovered from an olive grove near the house on the Greek island of Kos where Sheffield toddler Ben Needham disappeared 25 years ago. Police have sent the items, described by Detective Inspector Jon Cousins as being 'of slight interest', for forensic testing. The two-year-old had been wearing a white T-shirt and brown sandals when he was last seen. On the day of his disappearance, July 24, 1991, two-year-old Ben had been left in the care of his grandparents while his mother went to work at a local hotel. Ben had been coming in and out of the house when, at approximately 2.30pm, the adults realised he had vanished. Ben's heartbroken mother, Kerry, has never given up hope that her son was alive. However, now investigators on the island of Kos have told her to "prepare for the worst," that Ben may, in fact, have died 25 years ago. Kerry has revealed that detectives believe the 21-month-old may have tragically been crushed to death by a digger. A forensic team have been combing two sites close to the home of Kerry's parents. The breakthrough in the case came when a friend of the workman believed to be responsible came forward and revealed his information. The digger-operator believed to have crushed little Ben died of stomach cancer last year just before the investigative team from South Yorkshire Police arrived on the island to reopen the case. The man's friend maintains that the death was accidental.