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 yesterday afternoon.

Detectives are 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 them to somebody at Colchester Museum who can say whether they are ancient."

Published Monday September 13, 2004

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