British police are investigating after a human bone was found in a pair of socks bought from a Primark store in England.

They were purchased last month from a branch in Essex.

However, officers say without further testing they cannot be certain of the age of it or where it's come from.

They added it doesn't appear to have been the result of recent trauma, and had 'no skin or other particles' surrounding it.

Primark, meanwhile, said it's "highly probable" the bone was placed in the socks by someone for "unknown reasons".

In a statement quoted by BBC, the retailer said: "No evidence of any kind exists to suggest that any incident has occurred in the factory.

"Primark has been the subject of isolated incidents in the past which have subsequently been found to have been hoaxes."

The company has previously said that a number of reported incidents - such as 'cry for help' messages sewn into labels, or notes found hidden in pieces of clothing claiming to be from workers in factories in China - were most likely hoaxes.