Mum of missing British toddler in Greece issues latest update on new DNA test

Ben Needham's mother has explained why she has cut contact with a man who believes he might be her missing son while she anxiously awaits the results of a DNA test.

It has been 35 years since the toddler tragically disappeared on the Greek island of Kos, but his loved ones have never given up hope on him.

His devastated mum, Kerry Needham, has spearheaded the search for him for more than three decades - and previously revealed that a man who 'believes he is Ben' got in touch with her.

In January of this year, a woman in the US sent her an email explaining that her boyfriend who was adopted as a child 'looks exactly like' professional age progression images of Ben.

He was just 21-months-old when he vanished from a farmhouse in the remote village of Iraklis that his grandparents were renovating on 24 July, 1991.

The mystery American man was 'supposedly adopted in 1993' and has 'always had questions' about it, while claiming his adoptive parents wouldn't hand over his birth certificate when he asked.

Kerry, pictured in Kos 2012, was contacted by a US-based man who was adopted and 'believes he is Ben' (Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

Although Kerry was wary about 'getting her hopes up', she admitted that the man did bear a striking resemblance to her beloved son and felt that his claims 'couldn't be ignored'.

The mother-of-two, from Sheffield, previously reported this possible development to South Yorkshire Police. She claimed that last week, the force informed her no fresh investigations into the case would be launched.

Instead, cops will only relay any new information to Interpol and Greek police from here on out.

Back in March this year, Kerry explained the man in the US had agreed to a DNA test to find out if he really the missing Brit toddler like he suspects.

At the time, she spoke of how she wanted to reassure the bloke that he 'is not alone in this' and said the Needham family would 'do everything they can to support him in the most respectful and careful way possible'.

But Kerry has since revealed that she has severed ties with the man for now while she awaits the results of a DNA test, which could take 'quite a few months' to come back.

Age progression images show what Ben could look like more than three decades on from his disappearance (findbenneedham.com)

"There’s a lot of red tape protocol and things like that to go through," she told The Sun. "He’s given us information about his parents, the adoption agencies...I imagine they would do a full background check before DNA is taken.

"That might take a little bit of time. DNA is done on a triage system. So it could be sat there waiting two or three months before it’s even looked at."

Kerry explained she isn't staying in touch with the man and will only resume contact when she receives a 'yes or a no'.

"Once it goes to the police, I leave it at that," she continued. "That’s like building a relationship with somebody that might not necessarily warrant building a relationship with.

“So now that’s it. Once I’ve done my part, it gets passed to the police and then that’s it."

Kerry suspects that the man would probably find it 'more traumatic' than her if a DNA test shows they are not related, as he so staunchly believes that 'he is Ben'.