Remains under patio 'more than 100 years old'

The remains were found at St Mary's House which provides sheltered housing in Hemel

The owners of a sheltered housing complex said human remains found below its patio were more than 100 years old.

The remains were discovered on Thursday by builders at St Mary's House in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

Owner Abbeyfield Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead Society said police confirmed on Friday that the remains had been there for more than a century.

The BBC contacted Hertfordshire Police for comment after the charity said officers had "handed the site back".

Work is taking place on the patio at St Mary's House

The house was built in the 18th Century but the building and attached stables were later converted into flats and bungalows.

It is now a sheltered housing site, with a mixture of rooms, flats and bungalows, for people over the age of 55.

The owners said the building was originally built over an "ancient burial ground" and the nearby St Mary’s Church was centuries old.