A FORENSIC tent in the countryside and all but one police car have left Saddleworth Moor this evening in the search for the remains of the last Moors Murder victim.

News broke earlier this afternoon that police were digging in part of the moorland, just off the remote A635 'Isle of Skye' road near the border between West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, after a skull - reported by the Daily Mail to be that of a 12-year-old child - was found.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed at 1.44pm today that it has launched an investigation following a tip off yesterday afternoon from an author researching the murder of Keith Bennett.

Bennett, who was a 12-year-old, was a victim of the Moors murders - carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in the sixties.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: A police car at Saddleworth Moor. Picture: Telegraph & ArgusA police car at Saddleworth Moor. Picture: Telegraph & Argus (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

But he is the only victim who has never been found, as Brady and Hindley never revealed where he was buried.

The 12-year-old was last seen on June 16, 1964, when he left his family home to stay with his grandmother.

The Telegraph & Argus visited the site earlier today and spotted a forensic tent in the middle of the wilderness as well as several police cars in the parking spot just off the main road.

But when the T&A's photographer went to the scene this evening, the tent was being lowered, although it was still kept in place.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The police forensic tent on Saddleworth Moor, which looks to have been lowered. Picture: Telegraph & ArgusThe police forensic tent on Saddleworth Moor, which looks to have been lowered. Picture: Telegraph & Argus (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

The fire service were also there but left shortly after our photographer arrived, alongside a number of police vehicles.

The T&A's photographer said it looked as if one force car was remaining in the car park.

The T&A rang GMP for more details on the situation but the press office was still waiting for an update. It is thought that the scene will be guarded overnight, with work to resume when daylight returns.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Police officers and other emergency service personnel on Saddleworth Moor. Picture: Telegraph & ArgusPolice officers and other emergency service personnel on Saddleworth Moor. Picture: Telegraph & Argus (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

Brady and Hindley murdered five children between July 1963 and October 1965 and extensive searches of the Moors led to the bodies of Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12 and Lesley Ann Downey, 10, being found.

However, Bennett's was not found and searches for him stalled following the death of Brady in 2017.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The police forensic tent on Saddleworth Moor, which looks to have been lowered. Picture: Telegraph & ArgusThe police forensic tent on Saddleworth Moor, which looks to have been lowered. Picture: Telegraph & Argus (Image: Telegraph & Argus)