'Ben accused' takes an overdose

Ben's family are still hopeful

A woman accused of stealing cash raised to search for a missing boy has taken an overdose, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Alison Jarvis, 23, of Cunningham Avenue in Wrexham, was admitted to hospital in the early hours of Thursday.

Jarvis and her 49-year-old mother Joan have admitted burgling the home of Ben Needham's grandparents, in Main Road, Legsby, near Market Rasen, Lincs.

But they deny taking £27,000 to help search for Ben, who vanished on the Greek island of Kos 13 years ago.

Alison Jarvis, who had previously had a relationship with one of Ben's uncles, say the pair only stole a games console.

'Trial of issue'

A 'trial of issue', in which a judge sitting without a jury would decide which version of events is true, was due to be held in Lincoln on Thursday.

When only Joan Jarvis appeared in the dock Judge John Milmo QC adjourned the hearing to a date to be fixed.

Last year police in the UK made a fresh bid to trace Ben by issuing a digital image of how he might look now.

But in recent years the authorities in Greece have gradually scaled down their own search for the youngster, despite several alleged 'sightings'.