Bones found on motorway near Bristol 'are human'

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

A motorway workman was clearing vegetation on the slip road at junction 14 on the M5 North, near Thornbury, yesterday when he made the grisly discovery.

Following an examination by a pathologist today, Avon and Somerset police said the bones were human.

Detectives said they could not 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.

Later today the bones are expected to be removed for further examination by the pathologist.