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Officers probe body parts 'link' Discovered head 'that of a man'
(about 6 hours later)
Detectives are trying to establish if the discovery of a human head in Leicestershire is connected to earlier body part finds in Hertfordshire. A severed human head discovered in Leicestershire is that of a man, police have confirmed.
Officers are searching the scene near Hoby Road in Asfordby where the head was found on Tuesday. A passer-by found the head near Hoby Road in Asfordby on Tuesday.
It is not yet clear whether the head belonged to a man or woman. A post-mortem examination at Leicester Royal Infirmary was unable to determine a cause of death or how long the man's head had been in the field.
Hertfordshire Police have linked the discovery of part of an arm in Wheathampstead on Monday with a leg found in nearby Cottered on 22 March. Meanwhile, detectives were trying to establish whether the discovery was connected to earlier body part finds in Hertfordshire.
Police there have linked the discovery of part of an arm in Wheathampstead on Monday with a leg found in nearby Cottered on 22 March.
Leicestershire Police have said it is too early to link their inquiry with any others.Leicestershire Police have said it is too early to link their inquiry with any others.
Det Supt Julia McKechnie, who is leading the investigation, said: "Our main priority in the initial stages is to determine the identity of the person involved. Det Supt Julia McKechnie, who is leading the investigation, said: "Work is on-going in order to obtain a full DNA profile and we recognise that this may take some time.
"This will largely be determined by the forensic investigations which could take some days to complete. "As we are still waiting for results we are not able to make any links to any crime or investigation being undertaken by colleagues in other forces at this time.
"In the meantime we're looking into the circumstances surrounding the discovery, but are keeping an open mind as to why and how the head came to be in the field. "I know the incident has been shocking and upsetting for the local community and I want to thank them for their co-operation and understanding."
"It is too early to confirm whether it is linked to any crime or investigation being undertaken by colleagues in other forces, but we are naturally liaising with other forces as you would expect in an inquiry of this nature." Specialist search teams are continuing to carry out intensive searches around the area where the head was found.