Officers were called to Warsash beach near Fareham at around 3.15pm on Saturday after a group of walkers found the remains washed up on the shore.

Families of missing persons had been informed but initial forensic examinations suggest the remains may be more than a century old.

The sex and identity of the dead person are unknown.

Further search

Officers have been combing stretches of the shoreline to search for clues to the body's identity.

" We don't believe the remains are recent remains and they are not linked to any of our high profile missing people at this time," said DS Andy Stewart of Hampshire police.

"We have no theories yet, all I know is that early forensic indications are that the body is not recent."

Police are waiting for low tide to attempt to recover the rest of the remains.