Three arrests after human remains are found in cottage

POLICE in a historic market town are investigating the discovery of human remains at a house where neighbours claim they used to see a child staring out of the window.

The alarm was raised when roofers working on a 200-year-old cottage in the North Yorkshire town of Helmsley, became concerned by a foul smell as they removed tiles and coping stones.

Detectives subsequently recovered human remains from the terrace cottage, which has been occupied for at least 20 years by a reclusive family. A 49-year-old man and two women aged 51 and 75, were arrested in connection with the discovery.

Residents said the family were seen around the town but rarely interacted with others and that they used to see a girl looking out of the window, but that they had not seen her recently.

Penny Bradley, 51, who works in the local petrol station and shop where the family often buy their groceries, said she believed the younger man and woman were brother and sister and that he worked as a writer.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said those arrested had been released on bail under investigation.