This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-37467430
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Ben Needham search: Police 'optimistic' as new Kos dig starts | Ben Needham search: Police 'optimistic' as new Kos dig starts |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police teams searching for missing toddler Ben Needham on the Greek island of Kos have said they are "optimistic" about new excavation work. | Police teams searching for missing toddler Ben Needham on the Greek island of Kos have said they are "optimistic" about new excavation work. |
| Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991 during a family holiday. | Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991 during a family holiday. |
| Digging has begun at a new site after a fresh line of inquiry suggested he could have been crushed by a digger. | Digging has begun at a new site after a fresh line of inquiry suggested he could have been crushed by a digger. |
| South Yorkshire Police (SYP) said it continued to keep an "open mind" about what happened to Ben. | South Yorkshire Police (SYP) said it continued to keep an "open mind" about what happened to Ben. |
| The dig is expected to take 10 to 12 days, with the team of 19 expected to find "hundreds" of bones to be analysed. | The dig is expected to take 10 to 12 days, with the team of 19 expected to find "hundreds" of bones to be analysed. |
| More on the search and other South Yorkshire stories | |
| Det Insp Jon Cousins, from SYP, said: "There are many lines of inquiry. | Det Insp Jon Cousins, from SYP, said: "There are many lines of inquiry. |
| "I am keeping an open mind, but what I know at the moment with all the information we have, I've made the decision that it is necessary to do the work that we are going to be doing over the next week or so." | "I am keeping an open mind, but what I know at the moment with all the information we have, I've made the decision that it is necessary to do the work that we are going to be doing over the next week or so." |
| He added: "I am optimistic about the search taking place." | He added: "I am optimistic about the search taking place." |
| The new Greek led investigation, being supported by South Yorkshire police, was triggered by a friend of builder Konstantinos Barkas. | The new Greek led investigation, being supported by South Yorkshire police, was triggered by a friend of builder Konstantinos Barkas. |
| It was claimed Mr Barkas may have accidentally killed Ben while clearing land with an excavator close to where the toddler was playing on the day he vanished. | It was claimed Mr Barkas may have accidentally killed Ben while clearing land with an excavator close to where the toddler was playing on the day he vanished. |
| Mr Barkas reportedly died of stomach cancer last year, months before detectives from South Yorkshire Police arrived on the island for a renewed investigation. | Mr Barkas reportedly died of stomach cancer last year, months before detectives from South Yorkshire Police arrived on the island for a renewed investigation. |
| His widow Varvara strongly dismissed any suggestions her late husband had killed Ben. | His widow Varvara strongly dismissed any suggestions her late husband had killed Ben. |
| At the scene: Danny Savage, BBC News North of England Correspondent | At the scene: Danny Savage, BBC News North of England Correspondent |
| Police have come back to the site of where a bulldozer was at work on the day Ben Needham went missing. | Police have come back to the site of where a bulldozer was at work on the day Ben Needham went missing. |
| Officers here are dividing the area into square grid sections and will be digging these up and looking thoroughly at what is in the ground. | Officers here are dividing the area into square grid sections and will be digging these up and looking thoroughly at what is in the ground. |
| This is an area which has been used for agricultural purposes for hundreds of years, so they expect to find bones here. | This is an area which has been used for agricultural purposes for hundreds of years, so they expect to find bones here. |
| Anything they find which may be of interest will then be sent off for testing. | Anything they find which may be of interest will then be sent off for testing. |
| Ben Needham's mother and grandparents were renovating a farmhouse in the village of Iraklise when he vanished. | Ben Needham's mother and grandparents were renovating a farmhouse in the village of Iraklise when he vanished. |
| His family and supporters have led a campaign to find him, while his mother and police officers have appeared on Greek television to appeal for information. | His family and supporters have led a campaign to find him, while his mother and police officers have appeared on Greek television to appeal for information. |
| Earlier this year, South Yorkshire Police secured funding from the Home Office to send 10 officers to Kos to carry out further investigations. | Earlier this year, South Yorkshire Police secured funding from the Home Office to send 10 officers to Kos to carry out further investigations. |
| The disappearance of Ben Needham | The disappearance of Ben Needham |