Police descend on Salford playing fields after 'unidentified item' found

Police descended on some playing fields in Salford after an "unidentified item" was found. Officers received reports of the discovery in an area off Littleton Road, in Kersal, at 2pm on Sunday. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a large police presence on the street, close to the junction with South Radford Street.

One resident said officers were searching a path leading up to the playing fields. "There were around four police cars and a van," said another person living close to the scene.

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"They walked towards the river and a police woman said a suspicious item had been found." However, Greater Manchester Police have now confirmed that the item found was an animal bone.

The area is less than a mile from Kersal Dale, where police reopened a crime scene yesterday evening (Saturday) - weeks after a human torso was discovered there.

The body part – consisting of the bottom of the back, buttocks and thigh – was found in multiple sheets of cellophane by a walker on April 4. A murder investigation was launched and a huge search began but Greater Manchester Police (GMP) closed the scene on Wednesday (April 17).

However, scenes were reopened at Great Clowes Street and the wetlands yesterday after officers received “further reports” during “inquiries in the area”.

A spokesperson for GMP said: "At 2pm this afternoon, we were called by a member of the public to reports of an unidentified item on Littleton Road, Salford.

"Police attended the scene and we can confirm that this was an animal bone."