Bones in bag found near motorway are human

Bones discovered in a bag at the side of a motorway slip road are human remains, police have said.

A motorway workman was clearing vegetation on the slip road at junction 14 on the M5 North, north of Bristol, on Monday when he made the grisly discovery.

Following examination by a pathologist, Avon and Somerset Police said the bones were human and the death was being dealt with as “suspicious”.

A police spokesman said bone experts would be brought in, and a thorough examination of the scene would be completed before the bones were removed.

He said: “They cannot say what is the sex or age of the remains, or how long the bones had been there. Crime scene investigators are continuing their work at the scene, while uniformed officers conduct a search of the surrounding area.The bones were removed for further examination by the pathologist.”

Forensic teams set up a white tent over the bones shortly after midday on Monday, when they were found at the exit for Thornbury in south Gloucestershire.