Police probe launched as a severed human ear found is found in a graveyard by a dog walker

  • Officers are analysing the body part, which was discovered in Aylesbury
  • Shocked Ben Jackson-Smith dialled 999 when he saw the ear
  • His Staffordshire Terrier Kas ran over with the piece cartilage in her mouth

By Martin Robinson

PUBLISHED: 05:57 EST, 25 April 2013 | UPDATED: 08:46 EST, 25 April 2013


Police have cordoned off a church graveyard after a severed human ear was found on the floor by a man who had taken his dog for an evening stroll.

The local walker dialled 999 last night after making the grim discovery in the grounds of St Mary's Church in Aylesbury,  Buckinghamshire

Thames Valley police say investigations are continuing and experts are analysing the body part.

More to follow

Probe: the police cordon around St Mary's Church in Aylesbury after a severed ear was discovered

Probe: the police cordon around St Mary's Church in Aylesbury after a severed ear was discovered

Grim: A local man was walking his dog when he found the body part, which is now being analysed

Grim: A local man was walking his dog when he found the body part, which is now being analysed

The ear was found by Ben Jackson-Smith who was walking his pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier Kas.

Mr Jackson Smith said he noticed Kas was sniffing at something during their usual walk around the graveyard amongst the older headstones.

'I didn't think much of it and kicked it into the bushes but then saw she had gone back for it and it was in her mouth,' the 21-year-old said.

'It just didn't look right. It was that colour of pigs trotters in a butcher's, so I picked it up in a dog bag and took it back to the flat.'

He said after examining it and he thought the police had better become involved.

'However, I said to them it might not be an ear and just to come when they could.'

St Mary's Church is a modern Catholic Church and described on its website as 'the heart of the community.'

Search: An officer looks through the graveyard in St Mary's in Aylesbury, Bucks, today

Search: An officer looks through the graveyard in St Mary's in Aylesbury, Bucks, today

Find: Kas the Staffordshire Terrier ran over to her owner inside the graveyard with the ear in her mouth

Find: Kas the Staffordshire Terrier ran over to her owner inside the graveyard with the ear in her mouth

St Mary's Rector Shane Wood said: 'I walked into the churchyard this morning with police carrying out a full investigation.

'They were searching the church grounds and have now brought in sniffer dogs to make sure they haven't missed anything.

'I've been told it was a human ear. It must be or the police wouldn't be going to all this trouble,' he said.

'We are all shocked by this discovery. There are 150 residents in the vicinity of the church and it's a complete mystery as to what has happened.

'You don't expect this sort of thing. It's like something out of Midsomer Murders,' he said.

Worry: Rector Shane Wood admits the situation at his church feels a little like Midsomer Murders

Worry: Rector Shane Wood admits the situation at his church feels a little like Midsomer Murders

A Thames Valley Police spokesman confirmed the ear was found in the undergrowth and had now been sent away for analysis.

'Police were called at 6.37pm (on Wednesday) by a man who was walking his dog and discovered what he believed was a human ear.

'Investigations are currently ongoing and a scene watch is in place at this time.'


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Police are looking for someone that can`t keep their glasses on .

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Now the forensics are checking that it IS human. Surely you can tell by looking at it - no-one has human ears except humans!

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I wonder if they said, Hello Hello Hello, what's all this ear then.

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Well done, Hear, Hear, the story has fallen on Deaf Ears already....

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Was there a pencil behind it?

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Well it can't be can it. Britain is a far safer country than the rest of Europe! The government said so!!?

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What would the Police do without dog walkers?!!

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Police are looking for a man with his hat over one eye.

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Ear today....

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If it had a ciggie behind it, it was mine.

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