Police chiefs who recently took over the Jersey child abuse investigation are expected to say that no youngsters were murdered at Haut de la Garenne.

Deputy chief officer David Warcup and Detective Superintendent Michael Gradwell will brief the national media for the first time since taking charge of one of Britain's biggest child abuse cases, which is investigating complaints from more than 100 people.

The island's former deputy chief officer, Lenny Harper, will be criticised for suggesting that youngsters might have been murdered and dismembered at the children's home, which closed in 1986, the Daily Telegraph has reported.

But a spokeswoman for Jersey police would not confirm that Mr Harper was going to be blamed for suggesting that up to six bodies could have been buried under the building.

She said: "There really is nothing I can say at this stage.

"There will be significant developments in how the investigation would be taken forward. There will also be some information relating to some of the finds at Haut de la Garenne."

The senior detectives were expected to announce that dozens of burnt bone fragments found in cellars could be hundreds of years old, the Telegraph reported.