Mystery as human bones found in Greater Manchester nature reserve

Police are investigating the discovery of human remains that were found at a nature reserve in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Officers were called at around 3pm on Monday to a report that bones had been discovered at the former Red Moss reserve in Horwich.

The reserve is a large area of marshland situated next to the Middlebrook Retail Park and behind the Horwich Loco Works estate, which is soon set to become a huge housing development.

Police have established that the bones are human but have taped off an area of the reserve while they continue to investigate.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "Police were called just before 3pm [Monday] to an area close to Aspinall Way, Futura Park, Horwich, to a report of bones having being discovered.

"The bones have since been confirmed as human and enquiries are currently ongoing.

"A scene remains in place."

This is not the first time that human bones have been discovered at Red Moss.

In the 1940s, a worker discovered the skull of a woman at the reserve, which was later dated back 2,000 years.

The skull is thought to have belonged to a 15-year-old girl but much of the history surrounding the find remains a mystery.

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