Police launch 'very strange' appeal to find owner of severed foot

Detectives said they wanted to reach out to female amputees who may hold the clue as to who the human foot once belonged to.

The gruesome discovery was made by a shocked dog walker on a narrow pathway in the quiet village of New Waltham near Grimsby, Lincs, in April 2019.

Cops say they have worked "tirelessly" to ascertain the owner of the foot, even carrying out forensic testing and DNA analysis, but been unable to identify them.

Investigators from Humberside Police are now asking women who have had a left foot removed to come forward.

The force believes the body part, thought to have belonged to a 5ft 2in tall woman over the age of 16, may be "clinical waste" from a medical procedure.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Curtis said, “A team of detectives have been working tirelessly to ascertain the identity of the individual and to determine how the body part came to be on the path.

“One line of our enquiry is that the foot may have been clinical waste from a medical procedure. This line of enquiry cannot be ruled out without a full and thorough investigation.

“Although this must seem a very strange request we are now appealing for any female in the Humberside Police Force area and Lincolnshire that has had a medical procedure to remove her left foot since 2014 to contact us.

“The NHS have been able to provide certain information in relation to historical surgeries but this would not include any private medical procedures, so by issuing this appeal now we are hoping to rule out anyone within this category of patient.

"If you have had such a medical procedure in the past eight years whether through the NHS or through private medical services I would ask you to call us, your call will be treated with the utmost respect and privacy.

“I encourage anyone that would be in this category of amputees to contact us."

Anyone with information is urged to call the non-emergency number 101 and quote log 85 of April 25, 2019.