Police find more human remains by M54 in Shropshire

The discovery was made by police forensics experts combing the area around the junction yesterday.

The eastbound slip road has been closed since early Tuesday and Sarah-Jane Lynch of West Mercia Police said the search was set to continue today.

She said: "Some more human remains were found during the day, and the indications are that they belong to the same person as the previous remains found at the site, but it is too early to say anything conclusive. Police will continue to search the area very carefully."

Today the Highways Agency tweeted that the slip road was expected to remain closed "well into next week".

The skull was discovered on August 20 by maintenance workers, leading to a police operation that resulted in other human remains being found.

A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive in establishing either the cause of death or the identity of the person. All that has been ascertained so far is that the skull belonged to a male and that the remains had been at the site for in excess of two years.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson said on Tuesday: "I am keen to ensure that we have done all we can to recover all of the remains and any personal property which may have belonged to this individual.

"We are awaiting results from the forensic laboratory and are compiling a database of missing persons across the region.

"We apologise for any inconvenience the closure may have caused to drivers, but as I'm sure the public appreciate it is vital that thorough searches and examinations are carried out to identify the man and establish what has happened."

Since the discovery, forensic officers have carried out excavation work at the site, with the operation intensifying this week.

The find was off the eastbound slip road at the junction for Priorslee and Shifnal across the carriageway from the motorway services. The skull was found around 50 yards from the slip road, down a steep bank and in heavy undergrowth.