Police launch murder probe after human remains are found inside bags in submerged shopping trolley at river beauty spot in Suffolk

Police are searching a river in Suffolk after human remains were found in two black bin bags inside a submerged shopping trolley.

The murder probe was launched after the bags were discovered by a passerby in the River Stour, Sudbury, on Thursday.

The member of the public reported the bags to a ranger, who moved them from the shopping trolley before realising they contained bones and calling the police. 

Suffolk Police are searching the River Stour and its banks (pictured on Saturday) after two black bin bags were found in a submerged shopping trolley on Thursday

Police have shut the footpath between Meadow Gate and Croft Gate, and there is also an emergency navigation closure at the Croft Road footbridge

Police were called to the River Stour, between Meadow Gates and Croft Bridge in Sudbury at around 4.30pm the same day.

The incident is being treated as suspicious and police have confirmed the remains are human. 

On Saturday, police said they had closed an area around the river to allow their search to continue. 

The force said they had shut the footpath between Meadow Gate and Croft Gate, including Croft Road footbridge.

An emergency navigation closure for the River Stour at the Croft Road footbridge had also been put in place, police said.

Both the river and its banks are being searched with the help of divers from the Metropolitan Police's marine policing unit.

The River Stour is being searched by police (pictured on Saturday) with the help of divers from the Metropolitan Police's marine policing unit

Police were called to the River Stour, between Meadow Gates and Croft Bridge in Sudbury at around 4.30pm after a passerby spotting the bags in the water

There are two police scenes – one around the area of the river where the bags were discovered and the other around the spot where the bags were moved to

Suffolk Police said the closures are likely to stay in place into early next week and thanked local residents for their patience and understanding.

The force previously confirmed they launched a murder investigation due to the 'suspicious circumstances' in which the bones were found. 

Police previously said a post-mortem examination was due to take place on Saturday. 

There are now two police scenes – one around the area of the river where the bags were discovered and the other around the spot where the bags were moved to. 

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Jones, of Suffolk police, has called for people to get in touch with any information

Suffolk police were called to the River Stour in Sudbury on Thursday at around 4.30pm after a bag of bones was found, which police later confirmed were human

Police confirmed they launched a murder investigation due to the 'suspicious circumstances' in which the bones were found

Police have launched a murder investigation and hope analysis of the human remains will lead to a suspect.

A Suffolk police spokesman said: 'A sensitive and methodical process will now take place over the coming days as the bones are examined and forensic tests are conducted. 

'Various other investigative work and searches will also be carried-out, which will need to utilise a number of specialist resources.'

A Home Office post-mortem examination is due to take place tomorrow, but a police spokesman said the investigation will take time. 

The area has been cordoned off by Suffolk police as they try to work out when the trolley was dumped in the water

Detectives believe that other people may have already seen the trolley and want to know when it was dumped into the water

Circled is the bag of bones which police have confirmed are human remains

Police have launched a murder investigation and hope analysis of the human remains will lead to a suspect 

Inspector Kevin Horton, Local Policing Commander for Sudbury, said: 'We appreciate that local residents are likely to find this discovery alarming and as such we will be increasing police patrols in the town to provide reassurance. 

'Officers are also likely to remain at the scene over the weekend and in to the early part of next week.

'Discoveries such as this are extremely rare – especially in Suffolk – and as such we do not believe there is any cause for concern to members of the public.

'We would ask anyone with information about this discovery to make contact with the Major Investigation Team immediately. 

'This includes anyone who believes they saw the bags in the river prior to yesterday afternoon, or saw the shopping trolley either in this location or elsewhere along the river.'