Mystery as passerby finds human bones in near high street in grim discovery

Human bones have been found in a woodland next to a high street in Northamptonshire.

A passerby found the remains in Cherry Orchard Park, in Hardingstone, Northamptonshire, on Tuesday.

A section of the woodland, which runs alongside Hardingstone's high street, was cordoned off after the grim discovery, NorthantsLive reports.

Forensic officers are now scouring the scene for clues as police try to find out 'how the bones came to be there'.

A member of the public reported finding the remains in trees near a footpath in the woods.

Since then, dozens of police and a forensic team have set up two tents where work is being carried out to ascertain what happened.

The grim discovery was made in Hardingstone, Northamptonshire (© Terry Harris)

When Northants Live visited the scene, 10 forensic officers were in the trees and three police officers were guarding the area.

The cordon stretched for hundreds of square metres across woodland and a field, near Brackmills Industrial Estate.

Trin, whose house backs on to Cherry Orchard, said: “It’s pretty scary how something like this can happen like this right on your doorstep.

David, who has made a habit of exercising in the woodland since gyms closed and was out running this morning, said: “It’s quite unnerving to think I might have been walking past [human bones] this whole time.

“I hope the police find out what happened.”

Forensic tents have been set up at the scene of the discovery (© Terry Harris)

A cordon stretching for hundreds of square metres has been set up across the woodland and a field (© Terry Harris)

The cordon was set up after police were called on Tuesday afternoon by a member of the public who had said they had discovered the remains.

The large crime scene is even visible from the A45, with the area being set up alongside the Nene Valley Way.

The police have previously said: “Police were called at about 2.20pm on Tuesday (February 2) to a footpath alongside the A45 in Northampton following a report from a member of the public that they had found human bones.

Police were called to the area at about 2.20pm after a report from the public (© Terry Harris)

“Officers remain on scene to investigate this incident and to establish the circumstances around how the bones came to be there.

“The cordon is expected to remain in place over the weekend, while officers work with archaeologists to excavate the bones to determine the age of the remains. Further tests and examinations of the bones will be carried out by a forensic pathologist early next week.”

“Anyone with information should call Northants Police on 101."