Bags of bones found in a Suffolk river are “most likely” to be human remains, police say.
Police officers were called to the River Stour between Meadow Gates and Croft Bridge in Sudbury in the early evening on Thursday.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Jones told BBC Radio Suffolk it was “too early to say” if the remains, found near a submerged shopping trolley, had been dumped in recent days.
He said: “It is very concerning when something like this is found. And in the early stages we have to keep a very open mind about what we have, and about the circumstances.
"As we get the scientific information back, and as witnesses hopefully come forward, we build up a picture of what’s happened."
He added that these kinds of incidents are "extremely worrying" for anyone with families of missing people and that "at this stage, we’re certainly treating them as most likely human remains".
Mr Jones said the bags were found by a wildlife ranger who then contacted the police.
Officers said they would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed any "suspicious activity close to the river".
They added that anyone who has seen bags in the river or knows how they came to be in the water should come forward with any relevant information.
A cordon remains in place while the investigation continues.
Anyone who has any information is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
