Ghost-hunting YouTuber couple are slammed after finding human remains in a Manchester wood – then picking up the skull to flaunt it for their camera BEFORE calling police

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A ghost-hunting YouTuber couple have been slammed after posting a video of themselves discovering a human skull - which one of them picked up and flaunted to the camera before calling the police.

Graphic footage, posted on the pair's YouTube channel, shows the self-titled 'urban explorers' stumbling across the remains in a wooded area near Bolton, Greater Manchester.

But in a shocking turn of events, YouTuber Danny Duffy is seen in the video picking up the skull while partner Felicity Duffy films the incident.

He then flaunts the skull to the camera during in a number of close-up shots while proclaiming 'this is as real as it gets'. 

After three minutes of inspecting the skull, the pair finally call the police.

Officers have since confirmed that remains are that of a human - though no more details have yet been release. 

Now the pair, who have more than 150,000 subscribers, have come under fire after releasing an hour-long video of the discovery on YouTube.

One viewer who commented on the video said: 'I can't believe you have posted this,' while another accused the pair of 'disturbing a crime scene'.

And last night a former police officer turned private detective told MailOnline officers would not have wanted the pair to touch the remains before their arrival.

The graphic footage, posted on the pair's Youtube channel, shows the self-titled 'urban explorers' stumbling across the remains in a wooded area near Bolton, Greater Manchester

YouTuber Danny Duffy (pictured) is seen picking up the skull while partner Felicity Duffy films the incident

The shocking video starts with the pair sharing a 'teaser' clip of the moment they discover the skull in a wooded area near to an abandoned pub.

After a graphic footage warning, the YouTube duo then discuss news coverage of the discovery, which made both local and national headlines.

Danny then speaks of his 'shock' at the incident, which took on Monday, before saying the discovery had prompted him to take a short break from YouTube.

'We were out just doing a normal paranormal investigation when we stumbled across this poor soul,' he tells the camera.

He continues: 'What you are about to witness is 100 per cent real, nothing was staged, what you are about to witness is really really graphic.

'I think I've had an hour's sleep (since). What we stumbled across was absolutely disgusting, horrible, shocking.'

The video then cuts to the pair walking through the woods before stumbling across the skull, which is found in undergrowth next to a green army-style jacket.

After initially being shocked by the discovery, Danny is then seen putting on gloves to pick up the skull.

'This is 100 per cent real, this is someone's head, I am not joking right now,' he says as the camera zooms in on the remains.

After inspecting the skull for three minutes, the pair then film themselves ringing the police.

Officers are seen arriving and setting up a crime scene before the pair are guided away.

The discovery was made in the early hours of Monday and the video was posted late on Tuesday night.

Danny speaks of his 'shock' at the discovery, on Monday. He said the incident had prompted him to take a short break from YouTube, before posting the video on Tuesday

After initially being shocked by the discovery, Danny, who entered the woods with partner Felicity, is then seen putting on gloves to pick up the skull

Greater Manchester Police last night confirmed the skull was that of a human. Detectives say enquiries are underway to ascertain how the skull came to be in the area.

But while viewers expressed sympathy for the pair, others appeared shocked that they had decided to pick-up the skull.

One viewer commented: 'Danny put it down and call the cops bro!!'

Another said: 'Why would you pick it up? You could clearly tell it's a skull without touching it.

One viewer also criticised the pair for posting the video, saying: 'I can't believe you have posted this or that the police have allowed you to, if this was a family member or friend of mine I would be distraught that you had put this all over the internet.' 

But Danny replied: 'People die everyday that's the facts of life get over yourself.'

The decision to pick up the skull before reporting it to police has also been questioned by a former police officer.

Former Hertfordshire Police officer John Bateman, who now runs private investigations firm P&D Investigations Ltd, told MailOnline: 'As a police officer you wouldn't want any part of the crime scene disturbed.

'Any police force in the UK would want a scene as close as possible to how it was found.

'They would want members of the public to leave it as it was found until they could establish whether this was a suspicious death or death by natural causes.'

Greater Manchester Police last night confirmed the skull was that of a human.

Detectives say enquiries are underway to ascertain how the skull came to be in the area.

The couple who made the discovery, Danny and Felicity Duffy, run a paranormal investigation Youtube channel. Pictured: Police at the scene on Tuesday

Tests and forensic analysis is currently being carried out, Greater Manchester Police said last night

However investigators do not believe that this is linked to any other investigations at this stage and are keeping an open mind.

Specialist officers are continuing to search for any further evidence, but say they are yet to uncover anything further. 

Detective Inspector Debbie Hurst, of GMP's Bolton CID, said: 'This was a very surprising discovery made in the early hours of Monday morning and we have been working ever since to establish the circumstances here.

'What we do know is that the item found has been confirmed to be a human skull, but it is still unknown how old the skull is and how long it has been at the location for - these enquiries by specialist forensic officers are ongoing and will be determined in due course.

'By the very nature of this discovery, we do understand some concern in the community and of course the sheer intrigue that this investigation brings with it, however we are confident that there is no threat to the public and that this isn't currently linked to any other ongoing investigations.

'We are keen to establish the facts as soon as we can but the work that is ongoing must be conducted thoroughly and properly before we get to that stage. If anyone has any information about this discovery that could aid our enquiries we ask that they make contact with police.'