Cracks are beginning to emerge in the evidence given by a key witness at the inquest into the suspected murder of William Tyrrell.

Key points: Paul Savage is among hundreds of "persons of interest" in the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell

Paul Savage is among hundreds of "persons of interest" in the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell Police searched his home multiple times but never found any evidence

Police searched his home multiple times but never found any evidence William was last seen playing outside his foster grandmother's home in Kendall in 2014

Paul Savage resumed his testimony at Taree Courthouse on Thursday as the coronial inquest's special regional sitting, which had been dull to this point, dragged into its third week.

However, people in the packed public gallery sat up when inconsistencies began to appear in the 75-year-old neighbour's version of events.

William was last seen in a Spider-Man suit playing outside his foster grandmother's home at Kendall, on the NSW mid-north coast, on September 12, 2014.

Mr Savage is among hundreds of "persons of interest" in a case that has puzzled detectives, but police have never found any evidence during multiple searches of his home.

The day William went missing, a woman knocked on Mr Savage's door to raise the alarm.

At the time, neighbours told police they heard the foster father screaming out his son's name as he ran around the property in a panic.

But on Thursday Mr Savage told Counsel Assisting Gerard Craddock he heard nothing that morning.

"You didn't hear anyone calling out for William?" Mr Craddock asked.

"No I didn't," Mr Savage replied.

In his police statement, Mr Savage said he saw the foster father "crying and upset", but when asked about it on Thursday, he said "I don't remember that".

Mr Savage also recalled speaking to neighbours about the missing boy despite them not remembering those exchanges, the inquest was told.

He then claimed he began searching for the missing boy.

"I inspected the drains, I didn't get down and search them, but I checked to see if someone was there," Mr Savage said.

"But that's not what you have in your police statement?" Mr Craddock said.

"Well I do now," he replied.

"So is your memory cloudy?" Mr Craddock said.

"Yes it is," Mr Savage replied.

The inquest sat for only 20 minutes and heard from one witness yesterday, with the Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame acknowledging delays during the country sitting.

"How frustrating it is there is court time we are not going to use," she said.