Sudbury 'bag of bones' murder: Remains were of 'athletic or muscular' man

Two "bags of bones" were recovered from the River Stour in Sudbury on 27 August

Human remains found in two bin bags in a river were from the body of a man of "athletic or muscular build" who died a "minimum of months" ago, police said.

Two "bags of bones" were recovered from the River Stour near Croft Bridge in Sudbury, Suffolk, on 27 August, prompting a murder inquiry.

Police said they had ruled out that the remains were of missing airman Corrie Mckeague or teenager Luke Durbin.

They said a cause of death had not been established and inquiries continued.

Det Ch Supt Eamonn Bridger said they knew it was "not a complete body" and the man had been "dead for some time".

He said there were ongoing "scientific tests" that they hoped would provide more detail and detectives remained in contact with the national missing persons database and other national agencies to try to identify the individual.

A Home Office post-mortem examination conducted on Sunday was not able to establish a cause of death.

Police divers have been searching the river

Det Ch Supt Bridger said: "Clearly we're really sensitive to the fact that there are families up and down the country who may be hoping that this is their loved one and we remain in contact with some individual families."

However, he said they were "confident" the remains were not those of Mr Mckeague - who went missing from Bury St Edmunds in September 2016 - due to "forensic testing conducted".

Officers have also told Nicki Durbin, whose 19-year-old son Luke went missing from Ipswich in 2006, the remains found were not his, Suffolk Police said.

The search of the river and its banks is continuing, assisted by police divers and dog handlers.

Officers have spoken to the residents of more than 100 properties so far and in excess of 140 people have also come forward as a result of police appeals, Suffolk Police said.

The force is continuing to appeal for witnesses.