The police need to end this nightmare

Thirty-five years since the disappearance of toddler Ben Needham, his sister Leigh-Anna shares her heartache with us and calls for police to find answers

- LUCY THORNTON

The sister of missing Ben Needham has hit out at the British police who told the family they are stepping back from investigating his disappearance.

Devastated Leigh-Anna Needham, 32, says officers informed them that Ben's case was being left in the control of the Greek police.

Ben was a 21-month-old tot when he disappeared on 24 July 1991, on the Greek island of Kos while mum Kerry was working at a local hotel. His gran was babysitting while his grandad renovated a farmhouse.

Leigh-Anna said, “We've all done everything we can to find Ben. Why can’t our police do the same?

“It's been 35 years and my family is still facing the same battle of asking and begging for help. Where's the humanity in that? They need to end this nightmare and find my brother. Find the answers.”

Leigh-Anna has spent her whole life involved in efforts to find Ben.

She said, “I was born into this, so I was passionate about the search for Ben from being little. I think the first time I was put in front of a camera I was about two hours old. Then I did Ben's reconstruction for the police at 21 months old. I was put through things no child should have to go through.