Human remains of two people have been found in a garden in Forest Town, near Mansfield, police have said.
The discovery was made by officers from Nottinghamshire police in the back garden of a property in Blenheim Close on Thursday.
Mark Webster, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for the Mansfield North Neighbourhood Policing area, said the two bodies had been removed from the address.
He said it could take "several weeks or months" for formal identification to be completed.
Forensics teams have been investigating the remains in the garden
"As a result of information we received in force last week we commenced a search at premises on Blenheim Close in the Forest Town area of Mansfield and yesterday we uncovered the bodies of two people.
Officers were led to the address after information came to light about an "incident" alleged to have taken place in the late 1990s.
The bones have yet to be formally identified.
Post-mortem examinations to establish the cause of death are due to take place on Friday.
The scene has been cordoned off while forensic examinations are carried.
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Two officers stood guard outside the property at the top of the road, while a white police tent could be seen in the back garden along with piles of soil and a small white digger.
A police spokeswoman at the scene said the current occupiers were not part of the investigation at this time.
It could take weeks to identify the bodies
She said: "They have been really supportive and understanding of the investigation."
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she knew of an elderly couple who used to live at the house in the 1990s.
The 51-year-old, who did not want to be named but lives with her partner and 16-year-old son, said: "I only saw the man a few times. I never saw the lady or any family.
"I've lived here for 18 years. They were living at the house when I moved in.
"But they never had any visitors. I never saw anyone coming or going. My friend and I always used to say 'I wonder what happened to that couple'. They just disappeared. We thought they had emigrated."
She said she believed the house then stood empty until the present occupiers moved in around seven years ago.