The bodies of two babies have been found in a box at a house, police confirmed yesterday.

The discovery was made by a relative clearing out the home of an elderly woman after her recent death.

A box was found, which contained two further boxes - each holding one set of remains. Some of the bones are very old and a paediatric expert will carry out tests to find out how old the children were when they died.

A post-mortem examination was also held yesterday to find out how the children died, and DNA tests will be held on the relative to find out if the elderly woman was the mother.

No names have been released by police.

Investigators will look into whether the occupant of the house on Rowcon Close, a 1960s council maisonette in Audenshaw, Greater Manchester, was the mother of the children and for some reason kept the deaths a secret for decades.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "The bones are believed to be from two babies and had been at the address for some time.

"A post mortem will be conducted to try and establish a cause of death.

"Inquiries are continuing."