POLICE have finished their search for evidence in the garden of an Elland home.

Curious neighbours looked on as about 12 officers descended on a mid-terraced house on Huddersfield Road on Tuesday and began digging up the back garden.

A spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police said she could not confirm whether anything was found or give further updates on the investigation - believed to involve an old murder case.

Dig leader Det Supt Phil Sedgwick said they were not looking for a body, but were searching for evidence relating to a serious incident that happened before the current owner of the house moved in.

The occupant, Carol Watson, 45, moved in four years ago.

She said she understood the excavations related to a seven-year-old murder case.

The surprised grandmother-of-three received a call from Calderdale Police asking her if they could dig up the back garden.

She was asked how long she had lived there and what the 24ft by 34ft garden was like when she arrived.

Ms Watson told police she had recently filled a hole in the garden which had been there since she arrived.

She added that she was relieved she had not yet carried out plans to pave the garden - which would have cost thousands of pounds.

Ms Watson said she was initially anxious about the investigation.

"I was a bit worried. At first police just said there could be something in the garden.

"It is not the sort of thing you expect."

She said she felt better when she discovered officers were only looking for evidence such as clothing.

Ms Watson changed her shift at Calderdale Royal Hospital so she could watch the dig.

She was kept company by one of her three children - Stacey Williams, 24, who lives close by at Whitwell Avenue.

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