And following the shock find, officers are now examining missing persons cases throughout Scotland
A dog walker, who does not want to be named, literally tripped over the bone while walking on the beach.
Making the most of the glorious sunshine, the woman had been paddling in a shallow pool, quite far out from the shoreline, when she felt something strange against her foot.
She lifted it up to inspect and discovered it was a bone. Straight away her gut instinct told her it was human, not animal.
On closer inspection she thought it might be a tibia, one of two bones in the lower leg.
She said: “A cow or horse has much shorter, stumpier bones, so I knew instantly that this was human.”
Stunned, she took it to Annan Police Station but had to initially convince staff there that it was of human origin, not simply from a cow or other drowned animal.
The woman said: “Although I will probably never hear who the bone belonged to, it might bring closure to a family who are missing a loved one.”
A police spokesman confirmed that a human bone was unearthed at Powfoot and was taken to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary for examination, where it was confirmed that it was indeed a human bone, and appeared to the tibia of an adult. Further examinations are now taking place in order to obtain more information on the bone.
Detective Inspector Dean Little said: “At this stage the origin of the bone is unknown, however it does appear that it has been in the water for some considerable time.
“Enquiries are ongoing with other police forces in relation to outstanding missing persons.”
*image is stock image
