There are "no suspicious circumstances" surrounding the discovery of bones under a city centre street, police say.

Officers were called to the discovery of human bones during Southern Water roadworks in St John’s Street, Chichester, at around 1.40pm on Tuesday. 

Workers found a bone when they began digging manually after exposing the top layer using diggers.

When they continued to find bone fragments, they called the police. 

The bones found under St John's Street, ChichesterThe bones found under St John's Street, Chichester (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

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In a statement issued today, a spokesman for Sussex Police said: "Following an assessment from the local authority, the bones are believed to date back to the 16th century and there are no suspicious circumstances."

The road remains closed while the works continue.

A spokeswoman for Chichester District Council said: "Following the discovery of bones during Southern Water works in St John’s Street, Chichester, on Tuesday, September 4, our archaeologist was called to assess the site and the discovery this morning.

"During this assessment, it was determined that the bones are the remains of a burial from the cemetery of Chichester’s medieval Dominican Friary, which was established in the mid-13th century and dissolved in 1538."