Human remains that could be infected with anthrax have stopped Crossrail work at Farringdon.

Engineers were making a "deep exploratory" bore hole when they made the grizzly discovery near Charterhouse Street - government scientists at Porton Down are examining the bones to see if they are infected with anthrax or bubonic plague.

A Crossrail spokesman said:

"We found a body — or at least some human bones — there last week.

The Museum of London has taken it away to see how old it is — they think it could be 200 to 300 years old.

The local coroner and the Ministry of Justice are also involved. What we understand is that they probably came from the former burial ground at St Sepulchre's Church, which had a workhouse attached to it."

Anthrax can lie dormant in spore form for centuries but if disturbed can spread and is deadly if inhaled.

The bacteria which causes bubonic plague can also survive in plague pits

1520 anthrax killed 370 years later

The House of Lords Crossrail Bill select committee was warned that excavations for the east west rail tunnel could unleash ancient diseases.

Lord James of Blackheath told the committee that 682 victims of anthrax — brought into Smithfield with some contaminated meat in 1520 had been buried in the area.

When the Metropolitan line was dug in 1890, he said, the anthrax escaped and killed several people in the area.