Ben Needham's Grandfather Returns To Kos

The grandfather of missing British toddler Ben Needham has made an emotional return to the site where his grandson disappeared 21 years ago.

Eddie Needham is helping a joint force of English and Greek officers who are carrying out a fresh search on the island of Kos.

New doubts have recently emerged about whether parts of the site were examined thoroughly at the time.

One theory police are working on is that Ben, who was 21 months old, may have been accidentally buried beneath rubble from excavators working at the spot. His grandfather was renovating an adjacent farmhouse when the boy disappeared.

Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick of South Yorkshire Police is leading the search operation.

He said: "He (Eddie) is walking our experts right around the scene and he's giving some detailed description of exactly what it looked like back in 1991; how the earth has changed even down to what the terrain was like, whether it was just soil or farmland, whether there were crops growing.

"It is all important to the level of search that is being undertaken. Eddie is pivotal to this."

Mr Fenwick paid tribute to Mr Needham saying: "It is a really difficult time. I have just met him there walking around with the search advisers. He really is emotional about this. It's a difficult thing for him to go back to the scene."

Mr Needham himself put out a statement through the police saying that, although he found it difficult to return to Kos, he was "pleased" he had.

He said: "Can I please thank the local teachers, council workers, factory workers and everyone who is giving up their own time to volunteer to help.

"I have in the past found it hard to return to the island but today, seeing the efforts being made by everyone, especially the search team, and seeing the support from all the media, I was so pleased. Many thanks."

Search specialists include a team of metal detectors and officers with specialist dogs.

Ground-penetrating radar equipment will be used once more superficial methods have finished.

The police team say they are making good progress with the operation, which is expected to last between seven and 10 days.

Ben's mother Kerry is also expected to visit the search site some time over the next few days.

She took Ben from her home in Sheffield to Kos in 1991 "to start a new life" with her parents who had already settled on the island.

She has said that she is pleased the Greek authorities are committed to the new search but still believes Ben is alive and the operation is an important part of the "process of elimination".