Mystery continues to surround the discovery of the remains of two people whose bodies were found buried in a back garden.

Nottinghamshire Police said they had uncovered the bodies in the garden of a semi-detached house in Mansfield, following a search, after acting on information they received last week.

The force said the current tenant and owner were nothing to do with their investigation, while the remains could take "several weeks or months" to identify.

Post-mortem examinations to try and establish cause of death are due to take place today.

Meanwhile, neighbours living in Blenheim Close told of the previous occupants, an elderly couple, who had "just disappeared", with the house apparently standing empty until about seven years ago when new people moved in.

It is understood police officers may have been attempting to trace family members of that couple in recent days.

One neighbour, who declined to give her name, said she knew of an elderly couple who used to live at the house in the 1990s.

The 51-year-old, who lives in the street with her partner and 16-year-old son, said: "I only saw the man a few times. I never saw the lady or any family.

"I've lived here for 18 years. They were living at the house when I moved in.

"But they never had any visitors. I never saw anyone coming or going.

"My friend and I always used to say 'I wonder what happened to that couple'.

"They just disappeared.

"We thought they had emigrated."

Meanwhile, police activity at the house is continuing with part of the rear garden covered by a forensics tent and evidence of the excavation plain to see, with mounds of earth piled next to a mini-digger.

Police have remained tight-lipped about their investigation and would say only that information had come to light about an "incident" alleged to have taken place in the late 1990s.

Inspector Mark Webster, of Nottinghamshire Police, said the two bodies had now been removed from the address.

He said it could take "several weeks or months" for formal identification to be completed.

Mr Webster said: "As a result of information we received in force last week we commenced a search at premises on Blenheim Close in the Forest Town area of Mansfield and yesterday we uncovered the bodies of two people.

"Forensic tests are taking place at this moment to identify who they are, formally."

He said the house's current tenant and owner had been "extremely helpful" and were not part of the investigation.

Mr Webster would not discuss any further details of precisely what information had sparked the police search and also refused to rule out whether they were looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

He added no arrests had yet been made.

However, reassuring locals, he said: "We don't believe there is any risk of any harm coming to the community.

"People are clearly going to be concerned when an incident of this nature happens and we would like to reassure them and we'd like to thank people, particularly the local neighbours on Blenheim Close, they've been really helpful to us."

He appealed with anyone with information to come forward.