A garden in South Dublin is to be searched by gardaí next week for the remains of two newborn babies allegedly killed and buried there.

A 53-year-old woman has come forward to tell officers at Sundrive Road Garda station that, as a young girl she was abused by a number of men – including a close relative – with the attacks starting when she was just five years old in 1966.

She claims that when she was 12 years old she became pregnant and when she gave birth, the baby was taken from her by a relative and suffocated before being buried in the back garden.

She said the same thing happened when she was 14 years old. Gardaí have interviewed the woman and are understood to have corroborated details of her story.

According to UTV Ireland, as part of their investigation detectives also plan to talk to a woman who is aged in her 90s about the claims made. At least one of those accused of raping the victim is dead.

The excavation of the garden will involve the help of a forensic anthropologist and a forensic archaeologist.

It is believed that, even though the babies would have been very small, there will still be traces of them if they were buried in the location.