Human remains found on an isolated shoreline in northern England are more than 3,000 years old. Archaeologists and police discovered the human bones at Hodbarrow Point (Cumbria, England) in February, which have since been found to be more than 3,000 years old. Scientists at the University of Glasgow have spent six months analysing the bones.
     Professor Gordon Cook, who led the analysis, says the bones date back to the Bronze Age and are between 3,200 and 3,700 years old. He said: "There was a series of six samples. They were all aged between 3,200 and 3,700 years old. It is rare from the point of view of the police asking us to look at them. We can get bones of all ages. If you have an old burial site next to the coast and you have coastal erosion that is when they are generally discovered. The bones that were found are older then we find normally but we can find bones ranging from hundreds of years old to bones belonging to someone who died in the 20th century.
     The bones were found by a fossil hunter on a 50ft high ledge between two beaches near Port Haverigg holiday village. A specialist archaeology team from Birmingham University combed the area for clues. At the time of the discovery six police officers braved the winter wind and rain to protect the site while the scene was examined. The remains were identified as human by a dentist but the true age of the bones has only just been revealed. Police say the bones belonged to a number of people, including a young man.

Source: North-West Evening Mail (12 August 2009)