Human remains found by workmen

During the demolition of some concrete steps they came across skeletal remains contained in wooden caskets and coffins. The grim find was made in Wellington Road at the former Cages compressed air equipment supplies building. A headstone, with the name Mellor, dates back to 1873.

A notice of removal of remains was later handed to the Reporter office by Yusuf Chochia, who owns the building. It is being turned into a Asian banqueting suite.

The notice said the remains of Sarah Mellor, who died in 1839, William Mellor, who died in 1846, infant Thomas Mellor, whose date of death is not known, and Martha Mellor, who died in 1878, were to be removed from the site.

Nobody from Woodman Joinery Company, of Ravensthorpe, which is carrying out the work, wanted to comment.