Searches to continue after human remains found near Chichester

It could take weeks for forensics teams to identify their identity

Author: Ryan BurrowsPublished 31st Jan 2021

Police are continuing to search in and around woodland in a village near Chichester where suspected human remains were found.

A bone, believed to be a human skull, was found by workmen in a layby on the B2141 in Chilgrove at 12.35pm on Thursday (January 28th).

Sussex Police has said searches will continue in the area over the next few days, with one lane of the road being closed to allow for investigation work.

Any remains recovered will be subject to specialist examination and testing from forensics teams.

Chief Inspector Jon Carter, District Commander for Arun and Chichester, said:

“Our enquiries are ongoing as we seek to establish how long these suspected human remains have been at this location, and how they came to be here.

"This is a complex process which is likely to take several weeks at least before we will know the age of the remains with any certainty.

“In order to allow the continued searches to be carried out safely, the road has been reduced to a single carriageway and there are temporary traffic signals in place. We are grateful for road users’ care and patience if they are travelling past this location.

“This discovery is currently being treated as unexplained, and I would urge anyone with any information which could assist in our investigation – no matter how insignificant they think it may be – to contact us.”

Anyone with information can report it to Sussex Police online or call 101, quoting Operation Sunlight.

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