Greater Manchester Police has announced that detectives are currently investigating the discovery of a human skull outside an abandoned hotel in Bolton.
Following a discovery by so-called urban explorers, police were called at around 12.35am on Monday 1st March to a report of a suspicious item found in the hotel’s grounds off Blackburn Road in the suburb of Egerton, and attending officers found possible human remains in the undergrowth, which forensic officers have since confirmed is a human skull.
Enquiries are now confirmed to be underway to ascertain how the skull came to be in the area.
But it has been said that investigators do not believe that this is linked to any other investigations at this stage and are keeping an open mind.
Forensic analysis is ongoing at the scene to establish the age of the skull and how long it has been there for – both of which currently remain unclear – and specialist officers are continuing to search for any further evidence, but are yet to uncover anything further.
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No arrests have been made and there is no threat to the wider public.
Speaking on the ongoing investigation, Detective Inspector Debbie Hurst – of GMP’s Bolton CID – said: “This was a very surprising discovery made in the early hours of Monday morning and we have been working ever since to establish the circumstances here.
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“What we do know is that the item found has been confirmed to be a human skull, but it is still unknown how old the skull is and how long it has been at the location for.
“These enquiries by specialist forensic officers are ongoing and will be determined in due course.
“By the very nature of this discovery, we do understand some concern in the community and of course the sheer intrigue that this investigation brings with it, however we are confident that there is no threat to the public and that this isn’t currently linked to any other ongoing investigations.
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“We are keen to establish the facts as soon as we can, but the work that is ongoing must be conducted thoroughly and properly before we get to that stage.
“If anyone has any information about this discovery that could aid our enquiries we ask that they make contact with police.”
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You can find more information via the Greater Manchester Police website here.
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Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
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Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.