Forensics teams descend on County Durham property after baby's skeleton discovered by contractors

Police forensics officers have been on the scene in Bishop Auckland where suspected human remains were discovered under the floorboards.

Durham Constabulary reported that the horrifying discovery had been made by contractors renovating a property in Fore Bondgate at around 11.15am on Monday morning. Images from the scene show the police investigation has begun in earnest - it is suspected that the remains are the skeleton of a baby, but it is as yet unknown when the baby died or for how long the remains had gone undiscovered.

The police said a forensic anthropologist was part of the team investigating what happened at the property, which is above Castle Pizza.

.The police force has said at this stage officers remain "open-minded" about the circumstances of this case. A post mortem examination and CT scan are scheduled for later this week, while detectives from Durham Constabulary have also begun tracing previous inhabitants of the property.

The images show a police officer standing guard while a range of forensics specialists go in and out of the building.

Detective Chief Inspector Mel Sutherland, from Durham Constabulary, said: "Our investigations are at an early stage. Obviously, this is a sensitive enquiry and at this point we remain open-minded as to the circumstances surrounding the death."