Wolverhampton market work halted by human remains find

Human remains have been unearthed during work on a city centre market.

Work on the outdoor market on Cleveland Street in Wolverhampton has been stopped after the find, believed to be related to an 18th Century chapel, which formerly stood on the site.

The city council said only one set of remains have been found and parts have now been sent to the University of Dundee for tests.

The £4.9m development was due to welcome its first shoppers on 17 July.

The discovery was made on Thursday morning.

The city council is making an application to the Ministry of Justice for the appropriate exhumation licence, which could take several weeks to be granted.

A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: "Where possible, market works will continue elsewhere on site without disturbing the ground where the remains rest.

"We are working closely with archaeological experts to establish if this is an isolated set of remains or if they form part of a wider burial ground."