Kate McCann Offers Sympathy to Kerry Needham

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3824863/The-worst-thing-imaginable-Kate-McCann-says-heart-goes-Ben-Needham-s-mother-Kerry-prepares-worst-police-Kos-dig-SECOND-site.html


'The worst thing imaginable': Kate McCann says her 'heart goes out' to Ben Needham's mother as Kerry prepares for the worst while police in Kos dig SECOND site
Kerry Needham waits on tenterhooks as police move to new site on Kos in search for toddler's remains
The area is less than a kilometre from the house where Ben disappeared on the Greek island in 1991
It was only brought to the attention of British police in June this year and has never been searched before
Kate McCann says she knows exactly how Kerry feels after a similar - but fruitless - search was carried out for Madeleine in 2014
The search brings back 'dreadful memories' for Mrs McCann, a friend told MailOnline
She has offered her 'strength and solidarity' to Kerry

By Tracey Kandohla In Kos For Mail Online

Published: 13:10, 6 October 2016 | Updated: 13:10, 6 October 2016

Kate McCann says her 'heart goes out' to the mum of missing Ben Needham who is bracing herself for her son's body being dug up on a Greek island.

Madeleine's mother endured the same gut wrenching ordeal just two years ago when police in Portugal started digging for the possible remains of her lost daughter. They found nothing.

Today, police in Kos moved to search a new dig site, just a kilometre from where Ben disappeared in 1991.

The area - which has never been searched - was only brought to the attention of lead officer Detective Inspector Jon Cousins in June this year.

As Kerry prepares for the 'worst', Kate offered her 'strength and solidarity'.

A close friend of the former GP told MailOnline: 'This brings back dreadful memories for Kate. She went through a similar horrendous experience a few years back when the authorities were digging for Madeleine.

'Not knowing if they are going to unearth the remains of your child as you wait helplessly is the worst thing imaginable. It is galling.

'Kate's says her heart goes out to Kerry Needham at such a traumatic time. She is very sympathetic and wants to offer her strength and solidarity.

'They have met up in the past as fellow mums of high profile missing children and share a seemingly never ending pain and anguish.'

The new search area in Kos is believed to be a dumping ground for rubble taken from the farmhouse where Ben went missing.

Officers believe stone and earth was taken from the farmhouse on the day or day after Ben vanished on July 24, 1991.

Detective Inspector Jon Cousins from South Yorkshire Police said: “The site is being prepared for a full search which will start soon and take a few days.

“This location was only brought to my attention in June.”

Yesterday, Kerry's father Eddie visited the site of the farmhouse to give police more details about the disappearance of Ben.


“Not knowing if they are going to unearth the remains of your child as you wait helplessly is the worst thing imaginable. ”


Close friend of Kate McCann

He was focusing on the foundations which he laid under the farmhouse extension after Ben's disappearance.

He and his wife were looking after Ben when he went missing. They did not raise the alarm for three hours because they assumed the toddler was with Kerry's brother, Stephen, who was 17 at the time.

Kerry, 43, from Sheffield, South Yorks,has spent 25 years trying to find out what happened to her son.

Cruel online bloggers have tried over the years to cause a rift between the two mothers of Britain's most famous missing children, claiming Madeleine's mum has at times been given preferential treatment by the Government.

Kate and heart doctor husband Gerry, both 48, of Rothley, Leics, were given renewed hope their daughter could still be alive when Scotland Yard's high profile ground radar blitz on scrubland in the popular Algarve in July 2014 drew a blank as to Madeleine's possible final resting place.

British Police, working in tangent with their 'fed up' Portuguese counterparts unearthed no bones but instead dug up a bizarre haul. Items included UK pounds, cannabis plants, bank statements and a sock.


“She knows just how Kerry must be feeling now. Pangs of fear and worry and desperation for some closure but on the other hand wanting a glimmer of hope and relief. ”


Close friend of Kate McCann

Kate told at the time of the family's 'huge relief and fresh hope' after police had acted on a fresh but failed tip off whilst expressing 'some angst' that their ongoing ordeal would continue.

Kate's friend said today: 'She knows just how Kerry must be feeling now. Pangs of fear and worry and desperation for some closure but on the other hand wanting a glimmer of hope and relief.'

As an ambassador for the charity Missing People she said: 'I sympathise with Ben's mother and all parents of missing children. It is your worst nightmare.'

Police in Kos are investigating if digger driver Konstantinos 'Dino' Barkas may have accidentally killed Ben.

He was working near the farmhouse where Ben went missing in 1991 and a friend of Mr Barkas recently came forward claiming the driver may be responsible.

Mr Barkas was questioned at the time Ben went missing but died from cancer last year. The new witness has been questioned by South Yorkshire Police.

The digger's son Valandis has insisted his father had done all he could to help police with their inquiries when the 21-month-old went missing and 'wouldn't harm an ant, let alone a little child'.

Kerry said last month she was angry that the new witness had kept quiet for so long, adding: 'He could have ended this 25 years ago.

'I could have done something with my life instead of having my life on hold and not being able to do anything or focus on anything and living this nightmare.'

On Tuesday, police started demolishing a wing of the farmhouse owned by a family who now live in Australia, which had not been built at the time Ben vanished.

In 2007, three year old Maddeleine disappeared from a holiday apartment in Luz. At the time her parents - who have twins now aged 11, were dining with pals in a nearby tapas restaurant.


Prime Minister Theresa May, in her role as former Home Secretary, approved more than £12 million of taxpayer funding towards the hunt for Maddie, codenamed Operation Grange.

The unprecedented support for the missing girl led Ben's mum - formally known as Kerry Grist - to challenge and fight the Government for a 'better and fairer' right to find her 'much longer' missing child.

Kerry previously told of her 'shock and hurt' last year after Madeleine's parents closed down a Twitter account blaming 'toxic' abuse by supporters of Ben's family.

Kate said it was 'a great pity' they had to take the action but felt negative postings were hampering the worldwide hunt for their daughter.

Kerry retaliated saying: 'It feels like a personal attack on me. It is deeply, deeply hurtful.



'I have myself had massive amounts of slanderous abuse from supporters of the McCann campaign in the past but I have never taken that personally.

'It's freedom of speech. But it is getting the names of two missing children out there which is really important.

'I have never criticised the McCann family. I have only ever criticised the authorities for the way the two cases have been handled so differently.'

Thanks cherry..

If after reading this you feel you're being spoon fed a total load of BS, then you probably are.
IMHO,

Only two comments allowed. One of which, from Brisbane, Australia, has received 501 green arrows: "Yes, Kate, make this all about you."

interested wrote:Only two comments allowed.  One of which, from Brisbane, Australia, has received 501 green arrows:  "Yes, Kate, make this all about you."

The McCann family fame, (or infamy even) seems to have spread to that of a global superstar's...

interested wrote:Only two comments allowed.  One of which, from Brisbane, Australia, has received 501 green arrows:  "Yes, Kate, make this all about you."

Interesting..now it's only 330 green arrows.