Manchester, UK: The discovery of a baby boy’s skeleton in a suitcase in the loft of a house in Stockport has sparked a police investigation.

The baby, whose identity is unknown, was found on March 6 last year by a family who were clearing the property in Heaton Mersey.

DNA tests showed that the skeleton belonged to a male infant, but the age and time of death could not be determined. The coroner said the death could have occurred as far back as 1959.

The skeleton was linked to the family who lived in the house by mitochondrial DNA testing. A post mortem examination by a Home Office pathologist could not establish the cause of death.

The details of the case were revealed at an inquest at Stockport Coroners’ Court on Wednesday morning, according to Manchester Evening News.

Ms Mutch also said it appeared the remains were ‘quite old’. “The range is thought probably dating back to 1959,” she added, and the Ms Smith agreed. The hearing was told a police investigation was ‘ongoing’. After formally opening the inquest proceedings, the coroner adjourned the case for another hearing on September 26.

Residents on the street described their shock following the hearing, recalling how police officers descended on the property in March last year. One woman said: “The police were there for a few days. The last we heard was that it was a false alarm and that it was just a bundle of newspapers that were found. Obviously that’s wrong.”