Mum of missing British toddler issues update as ‘mystery’ man comes forward for DNA test

Fresh hope has been given to the family of missing Ben Needham, who disappeared almost 35 years ago on the Greek island of Kos.

He was just 21 months old when he vanished without a trace on 24 July, 1991, from a farmhouse in the remote village of Iraklis that his grandparents Eddie and Christine were renovating.

His loved ones have never given up searching for him - and his devoted mother Kerry Needham has now told how she is waiting for a DNA test to be conducted on a man who bears an 'uncanny' resemblance to Ben.

In January, Kerry received an email from a woman in the US who claimed that her boyfriend who was adopted as a child 'looks exactly like' professional age progression images that have been mocked up of her missing son.

She alleged that her other half was 'supposedly adopted in 1993' - two years after Ben's disappearance - and has 'always had questions' about it.

The woman also claimed that his adoptive parents would not give the man his birth certificate and acted 'insane' when he asked - and as a result of all of this, she claims that she 'feels like he is Ben'.

Ben Needham went missing in 1991 (Family Handout)

In the correspondence sent to Kerry, the woman said: "I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, especially Kerry’s, but I feel like he is Ben. He is really hoping so as well...there are too many coincidences to ignore this."

Ben's mother said she reported this line of inquiry to South Yorkshire Police earlier this year. In 2016, the force said it believed that Ben was likely accidentally killed while playing at the farmhouse.

But Kerry, from Sheffield, insists there was 'no evidence' to support this theory and instead suspects that the tot might have been abducted and later illegally adopted.

Speaking to The Mirror, she explained that the US woman who contacted her sent over images of her boyfriend - and Kerry also reckons that he looks similar to Ben.

The mum said: "This is another mystery email from a similar area and sounds pretty genuine. This man was adopted. I’m not going to sit here and get my hopes up, but there are similarities.

"There are things not quite right about it, it can’t be ignored. It probably isn’t Ben...but this is again out of the blue and again it’s America."

Age progression images show what the toddler might look like 35 years on - and a US woman claims her boyfriend is the double of him (findbenneedham.com)

"More and more lately there have been some bizarre links with the US," Kerry added. "He has agreed to have his DNA taken but doesn’t want any publicity," she said of the man who might be her missing son.

Kerry said she is currently waiting for Interpol to get the ball rolling and obtain a DNA sample so that testing can be conducted - but is aware this is a process that 'can take time'.

"We are grateful that things are now moving forward again and that there is still a path towards getting the answers we’ve all been hoping for," she went on.

She said she wouldn't share any further details about the mystery man out of respect for his privacy, adding: "What matters most is making sure he feels supported and protected throughout this process.

"We want him to know that he is not alone in this. We will continue to do everything we can to support him and help guide this process in the most respectful and careful way possible.

"We’ve been here many times before. It’s an anxious time, you are on edge, waiting.

"We have been down this road before and I feel for the person in question as they have not been down this road before. He must be nervous."

Extensive searches at the farmhouse in Iraklis over the years have not yielded any new leads (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

On Tuesday (17 March), Ben's relatives also shared an update on the long-running Facebook page set up to aid the search for Ben, which is titled 'Help Find Ben Needham'.

A post explained: "We are working to share Ben’s age-progression image across the United States. New leads suggest that Ben may have been illegally adopted in the US during the early 1990s.

"Increasing awareness is crucial, and we hope that wider exposure will help generate vital information. If you have any information, please come forward."

While they 'anxiously wait for more news on the latest development', Ben's family urged people to circulate the age progression picture produced of Ben, rather than his baby photos.

She added: "It took my breath away all those years ago when I saw it because it looks like part of our family. There is no point in putting Ben’s baby photos out there.

"We have to concentrate on, 'Have you seen this man, not this child?' If [anyone] knows any information or if they have seen this man growing up, was he a friend, neighbour or partner, let us know."

Kerry said that she will 'never stop searching' for her boy.