'Bloodstained Items' At Jersey Home

A number of bloodstained items have been found in two secret underground chambers at a former children's home in Jersey, police say.

Haut de la Garenne, which was a children's care home from the 1960s until it closed in 1986, is being investigated over abuse claims.

The discovery was made in the past few days by officers searching the final pair of four cellars.

The rooms have been referred to as "punishment rooms" by victims who claim they were physically and sexually abused.

Deputy Police chief Lenny Harper said that at this stage it was not clear if the items - details of which have not been released - had an innocent explanation.

Earlier this week, mystery lime-filled pits were excavated at the property after police received a tip-off from someone who said he was asked to dig two pits at the site some 30 years ago.

In February, part of a child's skull was found buried under a stairwell at the property.

Tests have been unable to identify the child or accurately date the fragment.

Teams investigating the site initially uncovered two secret underground chambers where victims said they were kept in solitary confinement.

A further two secret rooms were subsequently found.

In the first cellar searched, police found shackles and blood spots in a bath.

So far only one person has been charged in connection with allegations of abuse at Haut de la Garenne.

The former warder, Gordon Claude Wateridge, is charged with three offences of indecent assault on girls under 16 between 1969 and 1979.

The 76-year-old appeared before St Helier Magistrates' Court earlier this week where he was released on conditional bail until May 12.

There are thought to be more than 40 suspects in the inquiry as a whole.