Mowing the lawn took on a sinister air when a Colchester man unearthed a human skull.

The skull found in a Colchester lawn

Lee Harkness, of Derwent Road, High Woods, Colchester, was cutting the grass when the mower hit something and stopped working. After examining the object, he took it inside to show partner Jackie Tatum.

"He asked if I thought it was an animal, and I said it looked human so we'd better call the police," Ms Tatum said.

Officers came round to the couple's home, carefully packed the skull in a forensic bag and took it away. The next day, the pair were told the skull was quite old, and was not thought to be suspicious.

Ms Tatum reckons the skull, which was in the long grass but not buried, must have been put there fairly recently. "I doubt we'll ever know where it came from," she added.

Published Monday, September 6, 2004

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