A retired soldier discovered human bones outside a churchyard after recent flooding in Mudford, Somerset. The bones may have washed out from graves.
Heavy flooding occurred the weekend before. Stephen checked for damage and went out. He noticed a leg bone sticking out, along with an ulna, arm bone, and collarbone. He feared they would wash away.
He gathered the bones carefully and took them to his home. Stephen thinks the bones came from graves near the River Yeo, which flooded St Mary’s Church, causing graves to get waterlogged. He felt scared finding the bones, worrying about finding a skull next.
The road is near the church, but he did not see anyone else take them. First, he put them by a headstone. Police told him to keep them secure. The graveyard also has a War Grave for W J Pearce, who died in 1918.
Stephen stated the War Graves group started an inquiry. Parishioners were shocked about the floating bones; some asked if they were dog bones. Stephen confirmed they were human bones, something he knows from his time in the army.
Older people felt very upset, knowing folks buried there. They noticed the flooding is increasing and lasts longer now. Police and the War Graves group were contacted.