A human skull has been found in the back garden of a house in the Killakee area of Firhouse, Co Dublin.

The grim discovery was made by a man who was working on the garden of his home yesterday evening and reported it to the Gardaí.

The Office of the State Pathologist and a forensic anthropologist have been informed and are assisting gardaí with their investigations.

Preliminary examination would indicate that the skull is believed to be that of an adult aged between 18-40 years and may have been in the ground for up to 70 years.

The scene has been preserved for technical examination and investigations are on-going.

The skull will be subject to forensic/DNA analysis.