HUMAN remains and a fragment of medieval floor tile have been found at Longdon St Mary's Church.

The bones of around 20 people, including jaw bones and several skulls, were found 15 inches below the ground by workmen laying a pipe at the back of the church.

They are thought to have come from a family vault, disturbed when the church was remodelled in Victorian times and then placed in a shallow grave.

The tile fragment was found later, near where the bones were located.

An archaeologist has identified it as a piece of medieval ceramic earthenware used for floor tiling, dating between 1201 and 1400. It is thought to be the oldest surviving remains of the floor of the old church, built in 1300.

Vicar Chris Moss said: "I think the trench diggers were a bit shocked," he said, "You do find the odd bone, but to find 20 skeletons is a bit unusual. It's just not the sort of thing you expect."

Research is to be carried out to identify the family whose crest and pattern appears on the tile. The bones will be re-buried.