Human bones from at least six bodies had been buried in two black plastic bags on the site of a former vehicle workshop, it has emerged.

Photographs obtained exclusively by KentOnline reveal the scale of the discovery at the Days Yard site in Shaftesbury Road, Whitstable, last Monday.

Contractors were using a digger to carry out drainage work when they struck a black, rubble sack-type bag buried two metres below ground.

Realising it contained bones, they contacted police, who hurried to the scene along with a forensics team. A second bag was then discovered.

One photograph shows bones from the first bag laid out at the scene, which sources say are believed to have been from six separate bodies.

Examining the image, Canterbury Archaeological Trust’s outreach and archives manager, Andrew Richardson, confirmed the remains were from multiple people.

“There are quite a few bones there - we think at least four individuals based on the number of long bones, perhaps more,” he said.

It is not yet known how many bones were in the second bag, or why they were buried in sacks.

Black plastic bags first came into use in the 1950s.

“These bones have been in the ground for some time,” said Mr Richardson. “How long is hard to say. Based on their colour and fragmentary nature, I’d say that it is probable that these represent older burials disturbed and reburied, perhaps during building works.

"They may have originally been found on the Days Garage site, but they could just have easily have been disturbed elsewhere and reburied there.

“An osteologist could establish how many individuals are present and provide estimates of their ages at death, biological sex and whether any signs of illness or injury are present. All that takes time and money, of course.

“Hopefully the police have this in hand, although Canterbury Archaeological Trust would be willing to assist if needed.”

Police are looking into the age of the bones, but have not yet opened a criminal investigation.

Spokesman Natalie Hardy said: “A number of bones were found in one small area of the site in Shaftesbury Road, which has been undergoing excavation work for the past six months.

“Experts confirmed the bones are human and are now working to establish their age. This process could take several weeks.

“No further bones have been found at the site despite further excavation as a result of this discovery. Enquiries remain ongoing and officers will review whether any further action needs to be taken in due course.”

Nine houses and eight flats are to be built at the site in Shaftesbury Road, which was formerly owned by Days Garage.

While the history of the land is unclear, city councillor Brian Baker recalls the car firm being there about 60 years ago.

He said: “I lived in Middle Wall at the Days Garage end in the early 1960s. My brother and I often played with the son of the garage’s owner, in the scrap cars parked in the compound.

“Although this is now a dry area, it was once the beachline, before Island Wall was built to prevent the sea encroaching onto the land.”