Neighbours have spoken of their shock as police continued to search the garden of a home in Isleworth for human remains on Wednesday (March 25).
Officers began excavating the backyard of the house in Epworth Road, near Syon Lane, this week as part of an investigation into whether a body or bodies were buried there during the 1980s.
Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said that no remains had yet been discovered but the search was continuing.
Ronald Johnson, 83, said he had lived on the street all his life and was horrified to discover why police were there.
"I was shocked when I heard what they were doing," he told getwestlondon. "I'm not aware of there having been any major crimes on this street."
Other residents also spoke of their surprise but said they were not living in the street at the time the remains are thought to have been buried.
Several officers were stationed outside the house on Wednesday afternoon, having arrived at the scene to begin work the day before.
A forensics tent had been set up in the front garden and a skip sat in the road outside.
Police say the investigation is not linked to the property's current occupier. They said a man and a woman, aged in their 90s and 80s, had been interviewed under caution.
The investigation is being led by DCI Noel McHugh, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command. It is not being linked to any other operation by the force, at this stage, and police said the identity of any possible victim is not known.
