POLICE are investigating the discovery of bones thought to be a baby's near a building site in Southampton.

Archaeologists made the find while excavating the site ahead of work on a housing development in Hawkeswood Road in Bitterne Manor.

The bones are believed to be those of a 37-week-old child.

An initial examination by police forensic archaeologists proved inconclusive and a Home Office pathologist will re-examine them to try to unravel the mystery of how long they have been there.

It is believed the site was bombed during the Second World War and police believe they may trace back to then.

Det Insp Derek Stubbington, who is leading the police investigation, said: "The archaeologists who have been working on the site have found Roman remains in the area but they were not happy that these bones were from the Roman era and so we were called in.

"The ground on which the bones were found was apparently a Second World War bombsite, so they may date back to that period but at the moment we cannot say for certain."