Police are hunting for a man after two suitcases containing human remains were found at the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.
Avon and Somerset police said they received reports at 11.57pm on Wednesday of a man with a suitcase behaving suspiciously on the bridge.
When officers arrived 10 minutes later, the man had left, leaving the suitcase behind. A second suitcase was located a short time later. Both cases contained what are believed to be human remains.
Avon and Somerset police said their major crime investigation team had launched a manhunt and was working to identify the deceased. A postmortem examination will take place on Thursday.
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The suspect is described by police as black with a beard. He was wearing a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket, white trainers and had a black backpack.
Officers said the man arrived at the bridge by taxi and the vehicle and driver had been located and were helping with inquiries.
The acting Bristol commander, Vicks Hayward-Melen, said: “This is a very disturbing incident and I fully recognise the concern it will be causing our communities. Our immediate priority is to locate the man who took the suitcases to the bridge, identify the deceased and inform their next of kin.”
Searches of the area were conducted by police officers on the ground, as well as the national police air service and the area’s coast guard.
A cordon, police officers and several vehicles were blocking access to the western end of the bridge, which has an average of 11,000 crossings a day, in Leigh Woods, North Somerset.
Forensic vehicles were parked outside the Clifton Suspension Bridge visitor centre and staff in white hazmat suits could be seen carrying plastic bags.
Residents living in Leigh Woods, who overlook the bridge, expressed concern. One woman, who asked not to be named, said her neighbour had told her to lock her door.
“It’s so unusual,” she said. “I’m very scared.” – Guardian