Aberdeen scientists have found traces of human blood in soil samples in the search for missing boy Ben Needham.

Ben, from Sheffield, disappeared on July 24, 1991, aged 21 months, after travelling to the Greek island of Kos with his mother and grandparents.

Detectives think he was killed by a digger working in a field nearby however a search in October 2016 failed to find him.

Now samples from a sandal and a toy from previous searches have revealed traces of human blood.

Professor Lorna Dawson, head of soil forensics at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, said: "Several items have been found at a few sites on the island of Kos, ranging from material to believed have possibly belonged to Ben and items of footwear and various other artefacts which were found at the locations of interest.

"It is now in the hands of the biologist to try to work out who left that material and who that DNA belongs to."