HUMAN remains found near the banks of the River Severn have been traced back to the Bronze Age.

A dog walker found what appeared to be a human skull, jutting out of the mud near Longney Pumping Station in March earlier this year.

Picking the bone fragments up with a plastic bag, he was able to move them away from the banks before the Severn bore swept in.

He then contacted police, who conducted a full forensic investigation.

Archaeological experts confirmed the fragments belonged to a human who lived between 2340BC and 2140BC - making them more than four thousand years old.

Martin Cuffe, crime scene co-ordinator, said: "Given the history of the area we live in, it isn't unusual to find old bones dating back a few hundred years.

"However, it was quite a shock to be told that these were dating back to the Bronze Age.

"The age of the bones means that they will not form part of any criminal investigation, and with only a small number of bones, we are unlikely to be able to glean much more information about the individual, which is a shame, as it would be interesting to know more about this person, and how they lived."

The discovery of the skull on the banks of the Severn came just a few weeks after another set of bones were found by a member of the public further along the river in Newnham.

Again, these were sent off to be examined by experts in carbon dating, with the professionals saying they believed the remains dated from the medieval period - some time between 1260AD and 1400AD.

The forensic team has now been in touch with the county archaeologist who will assess whether further examination is required on both sets of remains.