Ben Needham police looking at tree missing from photo taken at time he disappeared

Police searching for missing Ben Needham are analysing a photo taken just after he vanished indicating a tree was planted on the spot where he was last seen.

Officers made the discovery on the Greek island of Kos while looking at what changes had occurred over the 25 years since he disappeared.

The photo was taken by a press photographer who visited the spot about 10 to 15 days after Ben went missing.

The 21-month-old toddler vanished on Kos in 1991 from an arid stretch of farmland where his grandfather was renovating a property.

A 19-strong team from South Yorkshire Police have been digging at the spot after new information came to light.

Forensic specialists from the team are now sifting through the soil around the tree absent from the photo.

It comes after a day during which fabric was discovered in the area where police are carrying out a detailed search.

DCI Jon Cousins, who is being assisted by Greek police, said: "There is nothing of any significance that we found yesterday.

"I briefly mentioned a piece of fabric which was found on Monday. We are doing a little bit more work on it. That is going to take a little bit more time.

"There was a photograph taken, the only record we have, near the time when Ben disappeared in '91.

"We've been able to analyse that ... and as such we are having a look at the area around the tree.

"It is the only record and the closest record we have to the time Ben disappeared."

The day before, DCI Cousins said the fabric would be compared to that Ben had been wearing on the day he went missing.

The toddler was wearing a white and green shirt and a pair of leather sandals at the time.

Ben's mother, Kerry Needham, has been told to "prepare for the worst" by investigators, who now suspect her son may have died in an accident on the day he vanished.