FORENSIC experts have revealed the likely age of human remains which were unearthed at the site of a flood alleviation construction project in Ulverston.

The grim discovery was made on September 13 by workers digging out near Town Beck, close to Ellers Mill, where the Environment Agency is carrying out flood alleviation works in a storm drain.

After the find, Detective Inspector Helen Ellis told the Evening Mail that the piece of skull had been provisionally identified as being human after images were sent to forensic experts at the University of Dundee.

The remains were then sent up to the university, where further tests were carried out to determine how old the bone was and when the individual died.

If the tests had revealed the person had died within the last 50 or 60 years, police would have launched a murder inquiry.

DI Ellis said at the time: "If it's 200 or 300 years old then we won't investigate further but obviously if it's more recent than that then potentially we have a crime scene on our hands."

After the completion of the forensic examinations, police have now confirmed that the bones belonged to an individual who did not die after 1955.

It is believed the remains are likely to date from pre-1805 and have been handed over to the county archaeologist for further testing and research.

Town Beck is an old watercourse that has both open channel and culverted sections. It poses a significant flood risk to 407 properties and 118 businesses in Ulverston.

Construction works commenced in August 2015 and are due to be completed by October 2017.

The Environment Agency has a live webcam at the site, provided by Furness Engineering and Technology Limited.

You can view it HERE .