Work has been halted on a central London Crossrail station after human remains were found.

Government scientists are now testing the bones to discover if they could be contaminated with bubonic plague or anthrax. Archaeology experts from the Museum of London are assessing their age and historic interest.

Crossrail chiefs believe the bones may belong to a former resident of a workhouse attached to St Sepulchre's Church, close to the site of the Farringdon Crossrail station in Charterhouse Street. The danger is that they are the remains of a victim of a serious disease and that the site could be contaminated.

A spokesman for Crossrail confirmed the find was made as a deep exploratory bore hole was dug to test for the presence of bodies on the site.

“We found a body — or at least some human bones — there last week,” he said. “The Museum of London has taken it away to see how old it is — they think it could be 200 to 300 years old.

They [the bones] are also being tested for contamination by the Health Protection Agency at Porton Down. “The local coroner and the Ministry of Justice are also involved. What we understand is that they probably came from the former burial ground at St Sepulchre's Church, which had a workhouse attached to it.”

Anthrax can lie dormant in spore form for centuries but if disturbed it can spread through the air and is deadly if inhaled. The bacteria which causes bubonic plague can also survive in plague pits.

The threat of ancient diseases being released by the works was raised by Lord James of Blackheath during the passing of the Crossrail Bill.

He told the House of Lords Crossrail Bill select committee that 682 victims of anthrax — brought into Smithfield with some contaminated meat in 1520 had been buried in the area. When the Metropolitan line was dug in 1890, he said, the anthrax escaped and killed several people in the area.

Nick Bateman, a senior consultant with Museum of London Archaeology, said that once the bodies had been examined they would either be reburied in consecrated ground or kept in the museum archive.

He said that archaeologists were aware of the potential dangers of unleashing ancient diseases, and that biohazard clothing would be worn in areas considered high risk. “We take every precaution,” he said.

Dealing with ancient remains has caused complications for a series of major building projects in the City.

Foster + Partners incorporated an ancient charnel house into a tower in Spitalfields. They also discovered Tudor and Roman remains. A treasure trove of relics was dug up during works on the Jubilee Line Extension.

Main works on Farringdon Crossrail station are due to begin in 2011 and to be completed by 2016.

• 

  Lenny Henry: 'Maybe one day we can have a black Doctor Who'

  As he wins the outstanding newcomer prize at the Evening Standard theatre awards for his role as Othello, Lenny Henry has come a long way from black and white minstrels

  ---

• 

  Spread of the Jedhead

  Jedward, voted off the X-Factor this weekend, are the most obvious proponents of the sticky-uppy look - but the style crosses boundaries of age, gender, sexuality and taste, says Nick Curtis

  ---

Sky in plot to hire students on the cheap

Sky News is currently recruiting students as reporters for its coverage of next year's general election. However, the opportunity doesn't quite seem so appealing

All stories