- Officers say the unearthed ‘skull and other remains’ belonged to an adult male
- The discovery in land near Swaithe in Barnsley was reported to police on Sunday
- Forensic archaeologist identified bones as human and investigation is under way
- Experts will now try to determine the age, sex and identity of person who died
Police have unearthed the human bones of a man in a cornfield after a teenage boy ran into his house holding onto a skull.
Officers say the unearthed ‘skull and other remains’ belonged to an adult male and believe they were buried in the last 20 years.
Police were called to the scene after the bones were discovered by a pair of teenagers playing football on farmland.
Charles Medlam, who has been a farmer in the area for 41 years, claimed his grandson Jack Grant, 13, had ran into the house ‘with the skull in his hand’.
Human bones have been found buried in a field in South Yorkshire, police have revealed
South Yorkshire Police said in a statement that there is no indication the residents at the property next to where the discovery was made are linked or connected in any way
Charles then phoned the police and attended the scene with archaeological analysts and CSI teams.
At the scene today, a South Yorkshire leading investigating officer Martin Tate said during a press conference that the remains belonged to a man who died less than 20 years ago.
Detective Chief Inspector Tate added: ‘We have own forensic experts here and we have got an archaeological expert helping us who has come up from Oxford to work our way through the crime scene.
‘The skull and other remains that we have been found belong to a man.
‘We estimate the bones have been left here in the last 20 years and we do not think this is an historic case.’
Investigators say there is no suggestion nearby residents are linked to the discovery and they are insisting enquiries.
The crime scene will remain in place for at least two weeks.
The discovery, in land near Swaithe in Barnsley, was reported to police on Sunday afternoon