Police in Canada have found the bodies of three or four infants in a storage locker in Winnipeg.

Police found the bodies after they were contacted by concerned employees of the storage locker company.

They said the deaths were being treated as "suspicious" but autopsies were yet to establish the cause.

The remains were so decomposed, it is not clear if police are dealing with three or four bodies.

Investigators are "speaking with a number of individuals" as part of their inquiry into the gruesome discovery.

"The incident is tragic beyond belief," Constable Eric Hofley told a news conference.

He said: "A storage facility is what it was and the remains were located within a storage locker or storage unit.

"My understanding is we are discussing very young infants, certainly not children, newborns of a very young age.

"The way we're describing it, it's believe to be four infants.

"So the remains were in a state such as that it's not obvious yet exactly whether we are dealing with four separate remains or three. Again that will be determined at autopsy."

Constable Hofley added: "Absolutely for all involved whether it be the employees at the business.

"Our officers or emergency personnel - very disturbing and tragic.

"What the outcome will be after the investigation is complete remains to be seen but that will not take away from the initial discovery and circumstances surrounding it.

"It’s just too early in the investigation to say exactly what has transpired here."

But even if it was not a case of foul play, he said: "You're not allowed to store human remains in a storage locker."

Child protection officers were leading the investigation but it could later be handed over to murder detectives, he said.