A skeleton has been dug up by children playing on a beach in East Mersea.

The remains, thought to be human, were found in the sand under a rock near Cudmore Grove Country Park.

Detectives are now waiting for an expert to examine the bones, which did not include a skull, to tell them whether they are centuries old or more recent.

Det Sgt Roger Napier, of Colchester CID, said: "We will be showing the bones to an expert who will be able to tell us whether they are ancient remains or something more sinister.

"It is just a matter of taking the bones to somebody at Colchester Museum who can say whether they are ancient or not.

"It is an area where people have found old bones before but you cannot take these things for granted. We have to have them checked."

Published Tuesday, September 14, 2004

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