Human remains 'could be Daniel'

Human remains 'could be Daniel'

Daniel Nolan's family is being kept informed

Specialist land and water search teams have been called into the area around a Hampshire beach after skeletal human remains were found washed up.

The operation, at Warsash beach, Southampton, was organised after human remains were found by dog-walkers on 15 February and then again on the 23 February.

Hampshire Police said an initial archaeological examination of the bones suggested the body was that of a young male, and that the bones had been in their skeletal form for less than four years.

Families of missing persons - such as 14-year-old Daniel Nolan who went missing from nearby Hamble in January 2002 and 16-year-old Damien Nettles who went missing from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in November 1997 - are being kept informed.

Although we are keeping an open mind at this stage, clearly we have to bear in mind that this could be Daniel Nolan

Det Chief Insp Dave Williams, Hampshire Police

The search began at 1000 GMT on Thursday and is expected to last all day.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Williams, who is co-ordinating the search, said they are appealing for anyone who may have found items on the beach to come forward.

"Although we are keeping an open mind at this stage, clearly we have to bear in mind that this could be Daniel Nolan.

"We urge anybody who has found items to please call us as soon as possible and aid us with our inquiries.

"This is not the first occasion we have found bones on this beach, and it is my understanding that this was a popular Victorian burial site.

"However, early findings suggest that the bones are less than four years old."

The remains already recovered have been taken to Fareham Police station, where a forensic science team hope to extract DNA later on Thursday.

Hampshire Police said the results should be known by next week.

A forensic archaeologist has also been called in and hopes to narrow down the age of the bones within the next 24 hours.