More bones found in Jersey probe

Tests are being carried out on more bones found at the former children's home at the centre of a major child abuse investigation in Jersey.

Police say the remains, discovered by forensic archaeologists at Haut de la Garenne, could turn out to be animal.

It comes as police say they are poised to make as many as three arrests in the case, either in Jersey or the UK.

They say 100 people claim to have been abused at Haut de la Garenne, where a child's remains were found in February.

Police spokewoman Louise Nibbs said the bones, recovered during searches of the cellar and a field behind the building, were "quite likely" to turn out to be from cattle.

'Graphic account'

A police team is investigating claims of abuse at the home stretching back decades after dozens of people came forward claiming to be victims.

Jersey's Deputy Chief Police Officer, Lenny Harper, has said he is concerned by one particular account of an incident in the 1970s, during which is it feared a child may have died.

He told reporters: "We have a particularly graphic account of an incident which still causes us concern.

"We can't say a person definitely died but if you look at it you have to think there is a possibility that the person died - that, followed by the fact that this person was never seen again."

He said police had also received accounts of children being forced to watch other children being abused and were looking into claims of abuse taking place during day trips.

Second cellar

The police search at Haut de la Garenne is now in its third week.

Officers have finished clearing rubble from the first cellar and are planning to start on a second bricked up chamber early next week.

Last week sniffer dogs detected two spots of what is said to be human blood and police hope to extract a DNA profile.

The police investigation, which began covertly in 2006, led to the discovery of part of a child's skull last month in a stairwell at the back of the building.

The remains are thought to date from the early 1980s. Police have not said whether they are male or female.

Some 25 people are suspected of having taken part in sexual and physical assaults at the home dating back to the 1960s.

Investigators say there are more than 40 suspects in the inquiry overall and 262 more phone calls relating to allegations of abuse are still being processed.

The children's home closed in 1986 and was later converted into a youth hostel.