Jersey skull bone offers no clues

Forensic officers have been gathering evidence at the former home

Police investigating alleged abuse at a Jersey children's home say they have "no knowledge" about the death of the person whose skull fragment was found.

Tests have failed to date the fragment, although police say the remains were placed there no earlier than the 1920s.

Other bone fragments, including a number of small charred pieces of bone, are still being examined.

Forensic scientists remain at Haut de la Garenne, the former children's home where 100 people say they were abused.

The problem with the skull fragment's location is that there was a large amount of lime present, meaning the protein collagen had been completely destroyed in the bone.

A statement from Jersey police said: "This leaves us with no knowledge of how, when, or indeed where, the person died."

Collagen is needed for the scientific process of dating items.

The other bone fragments will be forwarded for examination to the UK, after final identification has been made of all other bone fragments collected from the scene.

Police also said that evidence is continuing to be collated elsewhere, and that officers are sifting through a significant amount of information submitted from the public.