M5 Bones are Melanie Hall

[CatherineJ]

Have been truly shocked tonight to here that the bones found by the slip road of the M5 near Thornbury are that of missing hospital worker Melanie Hall.

We used to live in Bradford on Avon when she went missing on a night out in Bath and I remember the hunt for her very well as the family only lived about a mile from us.

So very sad but at least her parents can have some final closure.

Edited by CatherineJ on Wednesday 7th October 20:59

[ianreeves]

As I work just down the road, I use this slip road every day so have passed the 'bones' 100's upon 100's of times... Quite scary to think what was so close !

[CatherineJ]

I know what you mean Ian. I drove past there only 3 weeks ago. I am making an assumption that the clean up work being done alongside the slip road is perhaps an annual event (they were doing similar last week on the M4). If my assumption is correct then surely they have been dumped since the last clean up.

I actually believed that her disappearance was going to go unresolved.

Edited by CatherineJ on Wednesday 7th October 20:57

[The Riddler]

Grim.

Hope the family finally have some closure.

[AngryApples]

RIP

Hopefully this will lead them to the bd that did it, poor girl

[bulldog5046]

Sad story, and unfortunately only a mile from my house.

not a nice place here, there have been a few murders in the 8 years i've been here, countless stabbings and i've been mugged/beated up a few times in recent years.

Ry

[miniman]

Blimey, I was at Uni in Bath at the time. Some friends of mine were interviewed based on their bank withdrawals placing them near the scene.

[Tyre Smoke]

CatherineJ said:

I actually believed that her disappearance was going to go unresolved.

Edited by CatherineJ on Wednesday 7th October 20:57

It still might. The remains being found do not a solved murder/suicide make. Unfortunately.

[CatherineJ]

Sorry what I meat was I didn't think she would ever be found if you see what I mean.

[rs1952]

CatherineJ said:

I know what you mean Ian. I drove past there only 3 weeks ago. I am making an assumption that the clean up work being done alongside the slip road is perhaps an annual event (they were doing similar last week on the M4). If my assumption is correct then surely they have been dumped since the last clean up.

Points West reported that this is the first time the Highways Agency have organised a clear up down there for 10 years. Makes you wonder about the HA as much as anything

[Scraggles]

understand the find was a bag of bones wrapped in more bin liners, pretty good suicide, but suspect like the plod that it was a killing, hopefully the person behind it will get caught

[CatherineJ]

10 years seams quite shocking when you consider that the location of the forensic tent was very close to the hard shoulder area of the slip road.

[Smart Mart]

CatherineJ said:

10 years seams quite shocking when you consider that the location of the forensic tent was very close to the hard shoulder area of the slip road.

Maybe the bag of bones has only recently been dumped there.

[The Riddler]

Smart Mart said:

CatherineJ said:

10 years seams quite shocking when you consider that the location of the forensic tent was very close to the hard shoulder area of the slip road.

Maybe the bag of bones has only recently been dumped there.

Another thing to consider is how often people actually 'park it' on the hard shoulder of a slip.

[Smart Mart]

The Riddler said:

Smart Mart said:

CatherineJ said:

10 years seams quite shocking when you consider that the location of the forensic tent was very close to the hard shoulder area of the slip road.

Maybe the bag of bones has only recently been dumped there.

Another thing to consider is how often people actually 'park it' on the hard shoulder of a slip.

Yes, good point. I'm not sure I'd find it all that suspicious if I saw a car parked on a slip road of the motorway. I'd assume he was making a call or getting a drink or having a wee or something.

Looks like a man has just been arrested...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8298372...

[CatherineJ]

Yes but the police are saying they are being cautious over the arrest as the chap has a history of mental illness.

I guess they should be able to rule him out reasonably quickly if it's not him.

The bag of bones I believe had been there for some time and that the vegetation had grown around it over the last 10 years. Good point though it would hardly be suspicous to see a car parked on the hard shoulder of a slip road.

[pdV6]

Already ruled the nutter out, apparently.

Which slip were the remains found on? I know the junction there was refurbed in the last few years (it's one of those odd junctions that doesn't have a roundabout) and am pretty sure the northbound sliproad was at least re-lined, so there would have been plenty of workforce there for a bit in the recent past.

[CatherineJ]

It's the Northbound slip road.