A two-year-old boy playing at the beach has uncovered human remains buried in the sand.
He made the disturbing find whilst playing at Saunton Sands, a North Devon beach, during a family outing last weekend.
Police were called to the scene and established a cordon around the area where the bones were found.
Officers arrived at approximately 2.50pm on Saturday, October 11, after receiving reports of the discovery.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that a forensic archaeologist will examine the bones as part of ongoing enquiries to establish their age and origin.
Two-year-old Lake from Braunton had been enjoying a day at the beach with his family when he made the grim discovery.
His mother, Gabrielle Prentice, revealed that her son insisted on changing locations three times before settling on a spot to dig.
She said: "Lake made us move three times before he found the place he wanted to dig. Almost immediately, he found a bone. He then quickly brought over three more."
A two-year-old boy playing at the beach has uncovered human remains buried in the sand
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The family initially searched online to identify the bones and consulted Ms Prentice's sister, who is training to be an orthodontist.
She suspected the bones and teeth appeared to be human, prompting the family to contact the police immediately.
Police collected the bones in the child's bucket.
Ms Prentice said: "His favourite thing to do at the moment is play pirates and treasure hunts, so now he really does feel like a real-life pirate."
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The boy made the disturbing find whilst playing at Saunton Sands, a North Devon beach, during a family outing last weekend
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The force confirmed that examinations are being conducted to determine the age and nature of the remains.
A spokesman from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Officers were called at 2.50pm on Saturday 11 October following the discovery of human bones at Saunton Sands beach.
They added: "A scene guard remains in place while the items are recovered.
"These will be examined by a forensic archaeologist to determine their age. Police enquiries are ongoing."
This incident marks the latest in a series of similar discoveries along North Devon's coastline.
Police were called to the scene and established a cordon around the area where the bones were found
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In May, what appeared to be human remains were located at the conclusion of Westward Ho! beach in Bideford.
On the same day, additional remains were discovered along the shore at neighbouring Appledore.
Police were unable to confirm whether these two sets of bones belonged to the same individual.
Devon and Cornwall Police have advised residents to dial 999 if they encounter any similar discoveries.
The force emphasised that whilst investigations continue, there is no danger to the public in these coastal areas.
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