'Remains found on Saddleworth Moor'

Greater Manchester officers have been actively searching for the body of Moors Murders victim Keith Bennett for the past three years.

The force referred callers to neighbouring West Yorkshire police, who declined to comment on a Sky News report that remains had been found. Police sources said later the discovery was not thought to be connected to the Moors murders.

West Yorkshire police said they were called around 1pm to reports of remains found at Wessenden Head Road on Saddleworth Moor, near Huddersfield.

A spokesman said it was not clear whether the remains were human, adding: "Inquiries are on-going."

David Kirwan, the solicitor acting for Keith's mother Winnie Johnson, said police had not been in touch about any discovery.

Keith, 12, was murdered in 1964 by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, one of five of their young victims.

Mr Kirwan, who has visited Ian Brady in prison twice since 2006, said Mrs Johnson remained in the dark about the find.

He said: "Clearly it is early days in the investigation of this discovery but I am sure that everyone is praying that this news brings to end the 44-year-old nightmare for Keith Bennett's mother.

"I have worked extremely closely with Winnie Johnson over the last two years and she has personally devoted every day of her life for the last four decades in order to give her son the proper burial that Brady and Hindley have denied him so far."