Police find remains of babies from the 1980s

The remains of three newborn babies believed to have been hidden since the 1980s have been discovered by police.

Officers made the grim find in the early hours of Sunday at a house in Merseyside following a tip-off.

It is believed the babies, found in Harlow Close, St Helens, could have been born as long ago as the mid-1980s.

Two women aged 54 and 38 and a 26-year-old man were questioned by police following the find, before being released pending further inquiries.

Merseyside Police said forensic tests were being carried out to determine the age and sex of the children.

Detective Superintendent Steve Naylor, leading the investigation, said: "Following a call to us, we attended at an address in St Helens where human remains were discovered.

"The remains are believed to be that of newborn babies and at this stage of the inquiry it is believed they are the remains of three babies.

"The investigation has only recently commenced and a number of lines of inquiry are being explored.

"We cannot speculate as to the cause or circumstances of the deaths and any inappropriate supposition is likely to have a severe impact on the investigation and the family concerned.

"This looks like being a complex investigation, and a lot of hard work needs to be done before we can ascertain what the full circumstances are surrounding this situation."