The 'Isle of Skye Road' can be a foreboding trans-Pennine route at the best of times - but today's torrential rain and howling gales only added to the sense of a bleak, remote and somewhat daunting wilderness.
The site of the discovery of possible human remains, linked to the search for Moors Murders victim Keith Bennett, is located just off a double bend on the undulating A635 route, not far from the border between West Yorkshire and Saddleworth.
The A635, which often becomes impassable in winter months, is thought to take its name from a long-demolished inn that was named the Isle of Skye and was operated by Hammond's Brewery of Bradford.
The pub, which closed in 1956, was located on the Yorkshire side of the road at Wessenden, high above Meltham, and was reputed to be the highest pub in Yorkshire before its closure.
As you travel out of the Kirklees borough of West Yorkshire and into the Saddleworth district, the road starts to drop down towards Greenfield. On a sharp corner in the road overlooking a reservoir, a number of police vehicles were parked in a layby today, along with a tractor with a digging mechanism on the front.
Perhaps 500 metres away, across a stretch of moorland, a blue and white forensic tent had been set up. In atrocious Pennine weather, forensics officers could be seen carrying out their work after a seemingly significant discovery. However, despite hopes that the moor was about to give up its grim secret, local onlookers might argue that 'we've been here before' in terms of potential breakthroughs.
Indeed, many interested analysts in the former West Riding would point out that the current dig site is some way from areas pinpointed by previous intelligence, such as Shiny Brook.
With the potential discovery being made on the western side of the border, the investigation was being led by Greater Manchester Police.
The area was once part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, but the former Saddleworth Urban District was the only part of the West Riding to be fully amalgamated into Greater Manchester in the 1974 reorganisation.
Around the time of the industrial revolution, Saddleworth was often talked of as the part of Yorkshire where Lancastrians lived. Ironically, it's now administered from Oldham (Lancs) but many residents maintain an allegiance to Yorkshire, hence the continued singing of Holmfirth anthem 'Pratty Flowers' in places such as Diggle.
The huge police operation swung into action when Greater Manchester Police were contacted by the representative of an author who has been researching the murder of Keith Bennett, a victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
The author had discovered what he believed to be potential human remains in a remote location on the moors and he agreed to meet with officers to elaborate on his find and direct police to a site of interest.
A police spokesperson said: “The site was assessed late last night and, this morning, specialist officers have begun initial exploration activity.
"We are in the very early stages of assessing the information which has been brought to our attention but have made the decision to act on it in line with a normal response to a report of this kind."
“It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been discovered and this is expected to take some time.
“We have always said that GMP would act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family. As such, we have informed his brother of the potential development - he does not wish to be contacted at this time and asks that his privacy is respected.”
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