Police excavating a Jersey youth hostel where a child's remains have been found are focusing their search on six more sites.

A spokeswomen for the force said that sniffer dogs and forensic teams had identified six more sites which warrent investigation, after the remains of a child were found on Saturday.

Police cannot rule out the possibility of finding more bodies at the former children's home, which has been investigated for alleged child abuse dating back decades.

The body parts of a child were found inside the house in St Martin on the east coast of the Channel Island by a team of specialist officers.

They had been alerted by a sniffer dog who detected the remains through several inches of concrete.

The police spokeswoman said: "The dog has indicated that there is another area, and we are concentrating some of our searches there.

"Apparently the remains that the dog detected yesterday were detected through several inches of concrete."

The remains have now been sent to the UK for dating.

The spokesman continued: "That process is going to take some time, all we can say at this stage it that we believe they have been there for more than five years."

It is not yet known if the remains are that of a male or female, but police have said the skeleton was not that of an infant.

The investigation into the alleged child abuse began last year and has focused on Haut de la Garenne and Jersey Sea Cadets

The allegations span several decades starting in the 1960s, although police say they are focusing on the 1970s and 1980s.

The search of Haut de la Garenne started on Tuesday and was sparked by information received from three different people.

Jersey's Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker, said: "The discovery was made as part of the police inquiry into historic child abuse. Despite the passage of time, my ministers and I are determined that, if foul play was involved, whoever committed this outrage should be swiftly found and brought to justice.

"At the beginning of this investigation I gave my word that no stone would remain unturned and the police will continue to have our full support and all the resources they need to pursue their inquiries.

"It is imperative that our children are safe in Jersey and I believe that today they are. It is, however, clear that this may not always have been the case and although we can't right the wrongs of the past, we will do everything in our power to assist the police in seeking out the person or persons responsible."

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