Third room probed at Jersey home

Police are to investigate a third cellar at Haut de la Garenne in Jersey, following a phone call from an ex-staff member at the former children's home.

The one-time employee will be asked to help officers locate the underground room, which is unconnected with two other cellars pinpointed by detectives.

On Saturday, the remains of a child was discovered on the premises, which is at the centre of abuse allegations.

Search teams are digging turf which they believe may have been disturbed.

The former employee had said the third room was not part of the main building and was used as a store room, a police spokesman said.

'Fits descriptions'

More than 160 people have called police to say they were abused at the home.

Jersey deputy chief police officer Lenny Harper said the force had received 70 calls from people mentioning cellars.

"It would appear as if the cellar is exactly as some of the witnesses who've made statements to us, and victims have described," he told reporters.

Officers have already gained partial access to the first cellar, after structural engineers assessed the safety of the building.

A forensic archaeologist is due to enter it to begin sifting through large piles of rubble and soil.

A sniffer dog had reacted "strongly" when it entered the first underground room on Wednesday, according to officers.

Senior officers said the dog's reaction inside the room was similar to that when a child's remains were found at the home on Saturday.

A second underground room adjoining the first has still to be searched.

It is understood the second chamber is the same size as the first - about 12ft square and 8ft high - and is also bricked up.

Mr Harper said: "Some of the bricking-up appears suspicious but there could be an innocent explanation for it.

"The initial look at what is in there certainly corroborates some of the victims."

Public inquiry call

The cellars are among six areas at the site identified for further investigation by officers.

Inquiries have so far uncovered 40 suspects and prompted 200 phone calls from alleged victims and witnesses.

The NSPCC said it had received more than 100 calls from adults reporting allegations of child abuse in Jersey.

More than a third of the calls were made in the last two days and 45 have been referred to the States of Jersey police, the charity said.

MPs led by the Liberal Democrat John Hemming have called for a wider public inquiry into what they say are "numerous proven reports of abuse in care in England" over the years.

Previously, 17 MPs from all parties had tabled a Commons motion accusing Jersey officials of "concealment" in failing to deal with the problem.

The MPs, led by Labour's Austin Mitchell, said the political authorities in Jersey have been "seriously compromised" by repeatedly failing to act properly.

However, the States of Jersey's Chief Minister, Frank Walker, has denied any cover-up in tackling the allegations.