LONDON - British police were putting in the legwork Thursday to track down the owners of three severed human feet found in mysterious circumstances.

The feet were found in and around the tourist spa town of Bath, southwest England - and now detectives are taking steps to track down their rightful owners. The first foot was found in February, with two more discovered in July and August.

A comprehensive investigation concluded that the first foot was more than likely to be an exhibit from a medical or educational establishment and was not the result of a crime.

Ongoing tests on the other two feet are expected to reach the same conclusion. “We are confident no crime has been committed and strongly believe the feet have come from an old private collection,” said Detective Inspector Paul Catton of Avon and Somerset Police, as they searched school grounds.

“All three feet show signs they have come into contact with animals and it is likely that they have been moved to the locations they were found from a specific source,” Catton said. “The source is most probably someone who used the feet as a teaching aid.

“We believe someone knows something about where these feet have come from and would appeal for them to get in touch,” he added. “The last thing we want is for a member of the public to come across one of these unpleasant finds.”