THE discovery of a suspected human bone by a dog walker has been described as ‘fascinating’.

Police were called out after a walker found what is believed to be human skull.

Officers are not treating the find as suspicious and have launched an investigation to confirm whether the skull did in fact belong to a human.

Analysis is due to take place to date the bone, with it initially thought to be at least 100 years old.

Police were called to the scene at Soutergate, Kirkby, at around 2pm on Saturday after the dog walker reported the skull.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police were called at 2.07pm, on Saturday March 6, to Lidget, Soutergate, Kirkby.

“A member of the public reported finding what they believed to be a human bone whilst out walking.

“Officers attended and recovered the item which has been sent for analysis.

“Should the article be confirmed as human remains, further enquiries will be conducted to establish the exact age of the bones, which could be over 100 years old.

“The discovery is not being treated as suspicious at this stage.”

In reaction, High Furness councillor Matt Brereton said: “It will be fascinating to find out where this comes from.

“Some days we have super high tides and all sorts of things are washed up in the estuary.

“It might have come from Walney or possibly from Ireland.”

Describing the discovery of the skull, he said: “It’s quite traumatic for the person involved.

“You find remains but you don’t expect them to be human.

“I’m very sorry if it was someone who lost their life in some sort of tragedy.

“It’s a mystery.”

Last year a similar discovery was made on Walney when several human bones were found near the beach at Thorny Nook by a walker.

Councillors reacted with shock following the incident but expressed their fascination over how far back the bones dated.

Following investigations by police it was revealed that a forensic anthropologist believed the bones to date between 1440 and 1640.

An amateur historian from Walney, Clive Burgess, said the area was a former burial site.

He said: “What’s happened over the many years of erosion is that the cliff has disappeared into the sea, leaving the burial ground exposed to the elements where erosion will continue to reveal its ancient ancestors of Biggar Village.”

In 2015 relics from the 1600s were found in the same place.