Post mortem on human head found in Mepal quarry comes back inconclusive - but suggests person died before January 2015

Mick George Quarry Block Fen Mepal. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

While specialists who carried out the examination this morning (Wednesday May 18) were unable to identify whether the head belonged to a man or a woman, it is believed that the person died before January 1, 2015.

A police spokesperson said: 'A post mortem examination of a human head found in a quarry in Mepal on Monday has come back inconclusive.

'Specialists are still unable to identify whether the head belongs to a man or a woman, however, based on the information available at this time, it is believed the person died before January 1, 2015.

'Detectives from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit (MCU) continue to work with specialists in order to establish the gender and identity of the deceased.'

The gruesome discovery was made on Monday afternoon by a worker at the quarry between Ely and Chatteris, and one of his colleagues told journalists that he had discovered the remains after taking the cover off a skip he had transported back to Mepal.

The worker said: 'His first thought was that it was a mannequin's head.

'But then he realised it had eyebrows and hair, and suddenly clicked that it was actually a woman's head.

'He said it had blood all over and was covered in dirt, but didn't look like it had disintegrated.'

The worker added that his colleague described the features of the head as looking female, 'and said she looked in her thirties or forties, but he couldn't be 100%'.

Since the discovery, forensic teams have been searching at a rail site in Sharbrook, Bedfordshire - 40 miles away from Mepal.

The Mepal site where the head was found is used for landfill and recycling, as well as the supply of aggregates such as limestone and gravel, and mixing concrete.

• Anyone with information is asked to call the Major Crime Unit on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.