Human bones which were found by workmen in a Nottinghamshire village have been sent off for carbon dating analysis.
Nottinghamshire Police were called to an address in Back Lane, Halam - a village near Newark - at 3pm on Friday (November 15) following reports of the remains near a church burial ground.
Officers set up a cordon in the area while investigations took place, with police leaving the scene on Saturday evening.
Police have confirmed the bones have been sent off for analysis and that they are believed "to be very old".
Detective Inspector Nick Hall said: “Clearly whenever human remains are discovered we have a duty to investigate in order to rule out any recent offences.
"Whilst we believe these bones to be very old we have sent a sample away for carbon dating to ascertain exactly how old they are."
A local parish councillor spoke with Nottinghamshire Live while police were at the scene to describe the cordon which was in place.
Councillor Chris Bevans, 37, who sits on Halam Parish Council, said: "I have heard about it, the jungle drums have been going around the village, people have been asking ‘what is going on’?
“From first-hand information, there’s three [police] vehicles. You think that you are living in a quiet little place, these things I suppose do happen. Every village has its stories."
He added at the time that he did not think the police cordon would cause much disruption to traffic.
He said: “Only to the residents that live on Back Lane, who will just turn the other way,” he said.
“I do not think it will cause anything. It might cause discomfort for maybe two houses, I would have thought."
