Remains of five children unearthed at Jersey home

Jersey police have discovered the partial remains of at least five children at Haut de la Garenne, it was revealed today.

But the discoveries at the former children's home where it is alleged wholesale child abuse occurred might not result in a murder inquiry because experts have been unable to pinpoint when the children died.

Deputy Chief Officer Lenny Harper told BBC radio: "There may not be the evidence there to mount a homicide inquiry.

"We were pinning our hopes on carbon dating. The latest information we're getting is that for the period we're looking at, it's not going to be possible to give us an exact time of death.

"If the results come back the same way as they have now there won't be a homicide inquiry."

However, the search has unearthed pieces of evidence which "substantially corroborate" accounts of abuse, he added.

Police have evidence the bodies were burned and attempts made to conceal them from the late Sixties to early Seventies.

They are investigating 97 allegations of abuse and there are more than 100 suspects.