Shocked telecom workers found a severed human head in a quiet village.
Cops have launched a probe after the grim discovery of a decapitated corpse this morning at Egg Hill Lane, in Frankley, Worcestershire.
The death is being treated as unexplained but cops say the human remains had been there 'for several years'.
Forensic officers descended on the scene with West Mercia Police cordoning off the road while they undertook searches of the surrounding area and countryside.
Local residents have been left in shock.
One local, who did not wish to be named, said: "We've never seen anything like this here, there were police everywhere.
"They have searched a huge area of the countryside around it and everyone is in shock. We heard it was a severed head that was found and then cops found the body.
"You can only imagine what it was like finding that if that is the case, it doesn't bear thinking about."
The scene is close to where searches were previously carried out in the high-profile case of murdered estate agent Suzie Lamplugh, who disappeared aged 25 in 1986.
The county also recently saw a dig undertaken in relation to the murder of businessman Jesse Richards, 40, who was killed in Evesham in July 2009.
Another local resident John Caswell, 47, added: "All I know is that they found a body in a bush next to a path, which is horrible.
"We have very little trouble here and you don't expect it. We've had our fair share of murders in surrounding areas but never this close to home."
Detective Inspector Mark Walters said: "We are in the very early stages of an investigation and our enquiries are just getting under way.
"We are currently treating this as an unexplained death and no identification has yet been made.
"While this could be a lengthy process we will update the public in due course."
Officers and a forensic archaeologist are working to remove the body before a post mortem can be carried out.
Detective Inspector Lisa Duncan, of West Mercia Police, later said "I can confirm that the remains appear to have been in their location for several years.
"However, at this time we are keeping an open mind as to the cause of death as the investigation is in the very early stages.
"I would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as there is still a local road closure and an increased police and media presence in the area. We hope to reopen the road soon."
