Human remains found under city centre pavement at Birmingham HS2 site

Ross McGuinness
Excavators sit at Curzon Street railway station in Birmingham where the HS2 rail project is under construction.
Human remains were found during building works for the Curzon Street railway station in Birmingham, part of the HS2 rail project. (File photo: PA) (PA)

Human remains have been discovered during building works at a site of the HS2 rail link in Birmingham.

The remains were discovered under a pavement in the city centre.

Police have sealed off the pavement after the discovery during building work.

Read more: All the times HS2 was 'given the green light' during decade of protests

West Midlands Police cordoned off a short section of the footpath beside Park Street, near Birmingham’s Curzon Street station development, on Sunday.

“We are investigating after human remains were found,” the force said in a statement.

“It is believed the remains have been at the location for some time.

“Tests are being carried out to identify the victim and establish the cause of death.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact West Midlands Police, quoting log number 1177 of 9 May.

On Sunday, it emerged that a construction worker at a separate HS2 site was temporarily blinded after a laser light was shone in his eyes.

Construction site for the HS2 mainline station at Curzon Street on 13th February 2020 in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom. The Curzon Street Masterplan covers a 141 hectare area of regeneration, focussed on HS2 Curzon Street station in Birmingham city centre, combined with approximately 700 million in investment into the surrounding area including new homes and commercial developments. High Speed 2 is a partly planned high speed railway in the United Kingdom with its first phase in the early stages of construction, the second phase is yet to receive full approval and the third is subject to merging with Northern Powerhouse Rail, a separate project. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
Remains were found near a construction site for the HS2 station at Curzon Street in Birmingham. (Getty) (Mike Kemp via Getty Images)

Thames Valley Police said it is appealing for witnesses after the man, in his 50s, was left blinded for 15 minutes and in need of hospital treatment.

The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon at the HS2 construction site in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, where campaigners have been battling against the felling of woodland for the high-speed rail link.

Prime minister Boris Johnson gave the green light to the controversial HS2 project in February 2020 after a number of years of false starts.

Earlier this year, demonstrators were removed from a tunnel dug near Euston station in London in protest at the HS2 project.

Watch: Anti-HS2 protesters met with bailiffs in Euston tunnel

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