Bunker abuse claim 'corroborated'

The bunker is about 500m away from the former children's home

Police investigating allegations of child abuse in Jersey have told the BBC their search of a World War II bunker seems to support witness statements.

It is alleged staff at nearby former children's home Haut de la Garenne committed "serious sexual crimes" at the German-built bunker.

Six witnesses say they were abused in the bunker, where a police search was launched on Thursday.

The bunker is about 500m from the former children's home.

The team is optimistic that the search of several rooms in the bunker will be completed in days rather than weeks.

A search of the former children's home was triggered in February when police said they had discovered fragments of a child's skull under a staircase.

Tests on the fragments later turned out to be inconclusive, but the excavation has since uncovered numerous human remains and thousands of exhibits.

Police say they are confident violence took place at the home, but a murder inquiry still remains only a possibility.

About 100 people have made allegations of abuse at the home between the early 1960s and 1986.

Police so far have about 100 suspects, though they say only 18 of these are significant.