Excavation to begin after ‘object found’ in cemetery
FORENSICS are being carried out near a Newport cemetery after more than a week of police investigations.
Gwent police confirmed ‘sensitive excavation work’ will begin on land near Christchurch Cemetery in Caerleon.
Officers have been at the cemetery since last Wednesday, where investigations continue into what the force is calling an “unauthorised use of land”.
A resident who visits the cemetery regularly said locals are concerned over the, at times, heavy police presence at the large field adjacent to the cemetery to the west and now surrounded by a metal fence.
Behind the fence, police tape covers some of the field, while multiple flags are dotted around and cones are numbered. There are no graves in the cordoned-off area.
Yesterday at 11am a single police van was at the scene and one officer.
A forensics team arrived shortly afterwards.
Gwent Police Superintendent Vicki Townsend said: “We were called to the cemetery at around 9.48am on Wednesday, April 27. Officers remain at the scene and a section of undeveloped land adjacent to the cemetery has been cordoned off while investigations continue.
“We are liaising with the Ministry of Justice and Newport City Council in relation to this report. At this time, we are investigating a report of unauthorised use of the grounds.”
Yesterday, a Gwent Police spokesperson said: “Our investigations have identified an object below ground at the land adjacent to the cemetery. From the initial work we are unable to confirm the nature of the object and we are therefore starting a sensitive excavation of the area.”
The Western Mail understands that the cemetery remains open to mourners, although Newport council would not comment.