Ben Needham’s mother is awaiting DNA results as the Danish man claims to be her missing son

The mother of Ben Needham, who mysteriously disappeared in 1991, is on hold as she awaits the results of DNA tests on a Danish man who claims to be her long-lost son.

Wednesday, July 24, marks the heartbreaking 33rd anniversary since Ben, then just 21 months old, was last seen on the Greek island of Kos. Sheffield-born mum Kerry is facing the possibility that it could be Ben, marking the third time this year that she has found herself in this agonizing wait.

Ben was last seen playing near an abandoned farm, sparking decades of international search efforts by his desperate parents. A man from Denmark has stepped forward, making the startling revelation that his grandparents testified that he was originally taken from Kos.

READ MORE: Three key Jay Slater developments since body found in Tenerife

He insists that despite his research, his parents have not denied these claims. Recalling an incident a quarter of a century ago, he recounts how someone in a market called out to Ben, leading him to believe he was later held hidden in a caravan, the Mirror reports.

Meanwhile, Kerry, 51, remains cautious after facing a similar emotional rollercoaster. She said: “This man is searching for his real family and has given Danish police a sample of his DNA, which South Yorkshire Police are trying to obtain through Interpol to compare with Ben’s.”

Authorities are set to cross-check Dane’s DNA profile with Guthrie’s blood sample taken shortly after Ben’s birth at Boston Hospital in Lincolnshire. Kerry recounted the long history of leads and alleged sightings over the course of 33 years, many of which were initially pursued by the distraught family.

“We’ve had DNA from people in Greece, Turkey, Germany and one in Florida and Australia. But at least South Yorkshire Police are trying to get me answers and I can’t praise them enough.”

The prevailing theory on the force is that Ben may have been the victim of a tragic digger accident, based on witness testimony. Unfortunately, the blood found at the scene in 2016 was not a match for Ben, and now the critical witness has stopped communicating with authorities.

Kerry added: “You can’t end an investigation with nothing to do and the claim of a man who now won’t talk.”

Further expressing the emotional impact of this prolonged uncertainty, she said: “I can’t believe it’s been 33 years and in October he will be 35. Mum is 72 and dad is 76. I don’t want anything to happen to me. parents without them knowing.”

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In a show of empathy, Kerry also spoke of understanding the agony faced by the family of Jay Slater, the 19-year-old whose body was discovered in Tenerife after being missing for over a month. After experiencing a similar ordeal, she expanded on her heartache: “All I can say to give them some comfort is that it’s better to know, because living year after year, not knowing is a torture. I feel their pain”.

Furthermore, Kerry condemned the online abuse directed at Jay’s mother, Debbie Duncan, highlighting the damage caused by internet trolls. “People have been so cruel. You have no idea the pain it causes. The trolling has to stop.”

However, she recognized the other side of humanity, the £66,000 raised in support of Jay’s family is testament to the kindness still present in the world.