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

Ben Needham's mum has said she is "shocked and hurt" after Madeleine McCann's parents have closed down a Twitter account after “toxic” abuse by supporters of missing Ben's family.

Kate and Gerry 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 Needham said: “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 every criticised the authorities for the way the two cases have been handled so differently.” 

Trouble erupted with the Twitter accounts when the official ‘@findmadeleine’ Twitter feed blocked the ‘@FindBenNeedham’ account at the weekend.

The Greek account @findbengreek was also blocked. 

A few hours later both accounts were unblocked after an outcry but now the Madeleine feed has been closed down. 

Kerry added: “People were furious at the weekend when they blocked our campaign, so of course they were bound to get more negative comments.

“Ben’s campaign has never been anti McCann - we can’t help the fact that some members of the public give their opinion about the McCann case just the same as people give their opinion about Ben’s case.” 

The web chief who runs the official Find Madeleine Campaign and Twitter, endorsed by the McCanns, said of their decision: “They agree it’s time to remove ourselves from a place that allows so much toxic content to be directed at us and does not permit us the ability to protect ourselves from people who want to damage the search for Madeleine.”

Kerry Needham recently questioned the vast amount of British taxpayers’ money spent by police looking for Maddie. 

So far £10.1 million has been used by Operation Grange with a further £2 million pledged while less than £800,000 has been spent on the campaign to find Ben.

Kerry’s 21-month-old son Ben vanished in July 1991 from the Greek island of Kos.

Three-year-old Maddie disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal’s Praia da Luz in May 2007. 

Both families believe their children could still be alive.

McCann family spokesperson Clarence Mitchell said: “Kate and Gerry have always supported the campaign to find Ben Needham. 

Indeed, they have promoted it on the Find Madeleine Campaign social media platform. 

“However, it is a great pity that due to continued, ill informed and abusive comments by some social media users, the decision was made to close the Find Madeleine Twitter account.

“Kate and Gerry continue to wish Kerry Needham the best and hope that one day she will be reunited with Ben, just as they continue to hope that they will similarly be reunited with Madeleine.” 

A source close to Maddie’s parents said closing down a Twitter account because of abuse should not be seen as an attack on Ben’s family’s side.

Former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 47, of Rothley, Leics, made the decision to shut down Twitter despite not being social media users themselves. 

The Facebook campaign will continue to run. 

The un-named Campaign “webmaster”, a mum who has been running the site with a group of fellow supporters since 2008, posted on Facebook: “I convinced Kate and Gerry it was a great way to raise awareness and I have witnessed overwhelming kindness. 

“I have been dismayed, however, at some of the hatred and sheer viciousness directed at Kate and Gerry through our social media accounts for no logical reason at all. At times, it has had me in tears.

“It is hard to accept that some people can be so cruel to a family that has already experienced the worst pain imaginable. Some argue the search costs too much, others say it’s hopeless.

“Further, in the past three weeks on Twitter, we have found ourselves in the uncomfortable position of being expected to “follow” people who align themselves with accounts that abuse us in the most vile ways on a regular basis. 

“Deleting our Twitter account is the only option left to protect ourselves and the search for Madeleine. 

"She is what is important, and our job is to get her home. We believe Madeleine is alive and we have great faith in The Met.”

But Ben’s mum Kerry, 43, from Sheffield, who has met Kate at official missing people events, said: “Blaming their decision to close their account on our followers could damage our campaign. 

“People are allowed to give their opinion. In the UK we are are a team of three people, checking Facebook, Twitter and Ben’s website. 

“How can we vet every single comment on there - it’s impossible. 

“We can’t stop people’s opinion and I will not be drawn into a slagging match with the two campaigns.

“All I can say is that Ben’s campaign has never been anti McCann.”

Ben’s gran, Christine, 63, agreed, adding: “At the end of the day two children who are missing are the important ones. 

“It’s all about keeping Ben’s name out there and alive. 

“I think the use of the word toxic is upsetting. Our supporters are not toxic - they just care. 

“We all have to take whatever is thrown at us. 

“We can’t as a family be responsible for other people’s views.”