Police end dig in search for missing British toddler Ben Needham

The police dig for clues over the disappearance of toddler Ben Needham on the Greek island where he vanished 25 years ago has ended after three weeks.

South Yorkshire Police said officers formally ended their search on the island of Kos this afternoon.

Ben, from Sheffield, disappeared on July 24 1991 after travelling to the island with his mother and grandparents.

The search operation was prompted by information that digger driver Konstantinos Barkas, also known as Dino, may be responsible for the toddler's death, as he was clearing land with an excavator near where Ben was playing on the day he vanished.

Mr Barkas is believed to have died from stomach cancer last year.

In a statement, South Yorkshire Police said: "The physical search of two sites on Kos, Greece has formally come to an end.

"Work continues behind the scenes as officers begin to process the findings from each site."

The force said a full update will be released from the team on the island at midday on Monday.

Just last week, Ben's mother Kerry Needham (above) said she believes her son will not be found alive.

She told ITV's Good Morning Britain that she and her family are "tired and distressed" and cannot live for another 25 years without knowing what happened to Ben.

Two weeks into the search, detectives said they had accumulated more than 60 items of interest that they will bring back to the UK for forensic testing.

A variety of theories on his fate and reported sightings have arisen since Ben's disappearance and Ms Needham had been holding out hope that she would one day be reunited with her son.

Earlier this year, South Yorkshire Police received extra funding from the Home Office to help in the search for Ben.

Ms Needham has been forthright in her support of the investigation.