Detectives believe remains are those of Brenda Venables, who disappeared in 1982

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

An 86-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the discovery of human remains in a septic tank in Worcestershire has been released under investigation.

Detectives believe the remains are those of Brenda Venables, who disappeared in 1982.

Venables, 48, was reported missing by her husband, David, a farmer, from their then home in Bestmans Lane, Kempsey.

West Mercia police launched a murder investigation after the discovery at the address in the village on 12 July.

On Tuesday, detectives arrested a pensioner in connection with the inquiry and officers spent much of the day at the bungalow where Mr Venables, 86, now lives in the village.

Police would not be drawn on activity at the scene other than to say it was “a line of investigation”.

Flowers have been placed on the septic tank in which the remains were found, in the backyard of the farmhouse where Mr and Mrs Venables lived when she disappeared.

A force spokesman said detectives were awaiting DNA results but “the general circumstances lead us to believe” the remains are likely to be those of Mrs Venables.

In May 1982, Mr Venables told the Worcester News: “I just woke up to find that she had gone. She has never done anything like this before and I haven’t the faintest idea what has happened to her.”

The couple had no children, according to the article.

It is understood the remains were discovered after the tank was drained during routine maintenance.

Police said the formal identification process was likely to take a few weeks.