CSI experts called after volunteers find bones while litter picking near Wigan beauty spot

The trio have previously uncovered unusual items while clearing up, such as a mattress, supermarket trolley and drinks cans dating back decades.

But they were shocked to come across several large bones as they were litter picking on a path leading to Amberswood nature reserve on Monday.

Volunteer Alison Thorpe spotted the first bone, which she thought could be a lower femur, before more were found nearby.

Alison, who runs nearby Lucky Hens Rescue, said: “We weren’t sure if they were human bones. All sorts goes through your mind. They weren’t fox bones because they were too big and they weren’t deer. We did think bovine, but why would they be there?”

Concerned they may have found a body or stumbled across a crime scene, the group phoned the police and CSI specialists were soon at the scene.

Alison said: “The crime scene people came out too and I knew they were taking it seriously. They were baffled by what we were finding.

“Normally a dog bone would be gnawed, but this was clean-cut and it was very old.”

Police spent around 90 minutes there on Monday afternoon, searching the area and examining the items found, which also included a jaw bone.

It was established that the bones were not human but came from large animals, possibly cows, though it is not known how they came to be there.

It was certainly a surprising discovery for Alison and the other volunteers, who meet informally to pick up litter and clean up the area.

On the same day, they also found a pair of shears, an old road barrier board, an old bike wheel, a car steering wheel, a bike seat, an old boot, and lots of cans, glass and plastic bottles.

Alison urged people to help make Wigan the “cleanest borough in the country” by doing their own litter picking, with everyone able to access free equipment to help make a difference.

But she also urged them not to dump rubbish in the first place.

Alison said: “It’s not just Wigan buried in litter, it’s the whole of the UK. We are finding bottles and cans that are 30 or 40 years old. As soon as we pull something out, we find something else underneath.

"People can get free litter pickers, gloves and bags from the council.

"People say the council should be litter picking, not volunteers, but people shouldn’t be throwing their rubbish. If they took their rubbish home or to a bin, it would be much better.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed the bones found on Monday were not human.

They said that anyone who finds potential bones or something else suspicious should stop excavating the area and call the police, so they can make a professional assessment and have the bones examined to determine the facts.

To request free equipment for litter picking or to find out more about getting involved, go to www.wigan.gov.uk/Council/The-Deal/Volunteering/Environment/index.aspx