Ben Needham

[malagabob]

Police are to search mound of building rubble for 2 year old Ben, who went missing in July 1991. It was at this time workmen were with the aid of a JCB clearing a site near Bens grandparents house.

[B00]

They didn't think to do this 21 years ago?

[emmie]

terrible to not know what happened to him

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...th-yorkshire-19987432

[albaqwerty]

B00, I think they concentrated on the possibility of abduction at that time.

[emmie]

as i think police would here, a little child suddenly disappears, it's not unheard of

[Ann]

They must know something - more details come to light surely for them to suddenly start this extensive search?

[ummmm]

This isn't sudden. I heard about this quite a while back.

[emmie]

if you read the BBC link it does give more info...

[B00]

Still understand why it wasn't looked into at the time. The article claims the Greek police wanted to evacuate, but never actually did?

[B00]

*DON'T understand ^

[jewellerjim]

and it has taken them 21 years to do this??!!!

[Ann]

He could easily have tripped and fallen into a trench on the building site, a JCB driver wouldn't have seen him. How awful to think that could be a possibility.

[douglas9401]

Mrs Needham told the BBC at the time: "I was horrified when I saw that. I know my son is alive and well and out there somewhere.

"That mound of rubble was already there when Ben was still there.

"I find it very, very unlikely that Ben is there, unless he buried himself."

What trench?

[factor-fiction]

Maybe a JCB driver or someone who had access to the site has suddenly 'remembered' seeing something

[Hopkirk]

Sounds to me that his Mum hasn't been pushing for this to be done, as it goes against her hope/belief that he is still alive.

[rockyracoon]

This must be awful for the mum, she's always believed he was taken and is still out there. All her hopes may be crushed soon :(

[B00]

Agree with Hopkirk. It does sound like Ben's mum didn't want them to evacuate the rubble at the time as she really didn't want them to recover a body. It doesn't alter the fact that it still should have been done though.

[pdq1]

I thought this had some similarities to the Madeleinne case. She also disappeared where building works were being carried out. In her case they were digging some trenches nearby and were filled in soon after.

[askyourgran]

I honestly can't believe that they will find anything now. You would have thought the searchers would have left no stone unturned all those years ago.