The body, found by council employees in a boarded-up house, may have lain there for 20 years

Skeletal remains believed to be two decades old have been found in a bed by community workers.

The body was found on January 13 in a derelict boarded up house on Beecher Street in Mallow, County Cork, Ireland.

The remains were discovered in a bed by community workers who sounded the alarm when the property was cleared.

Butter dating back to 2001 was found in the refrigerator by officers investigating the discovery.

The body was found on January 13 in a derelict boarded up house on Beecher Street in Mallow, County Cork in Ireland (pictured).

Gardi cordoned off the scene around the one-storey house, which is yards from a pub, while firefighters took the decomposed body to the morgue at Cork University Hospital.

Foul play is not suspected by Gardai but neighbors thought the man, whom they described as reclusive, had moved to England.

Mallow Cllr Liam Madden told the Irish Mirror: “The key thing now is identification, it’s going to take a long time.

“It’s very sad that there is a family out there that could be looking for this person.”

Cllr Madden added that it was “extraordinary” that the body could have gone undetected for 20 years.

Investigators are hoping to confirm the person’s identity using dental records. An autopsy was to be performed last night.

Officials plan to check with utility companies to determine the time of death.

Gardai have said they are investigating “all the circumstances” and have asked anyone with information to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450.