The search for King Harold's remains will begin next week on the anniversary of his apparent death.

Oval Films and Stratascan, the teams that discovered the remains of Richard III beneath a car park in 2012, will carry out the scan at Abbey Gardens in Waltham Abbey on Tuesday.

The teams will search the area in the hope theories that he was given a formal funeral at the Abbey Church of Waltham Holy Cross and St Lawrence are true.

An initial ground scan was planned to take place on September 2, but postponed due to a delay in securing a licence.

The scan date will also mark the 948th anniversary since his apparent death at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

However, he is also believed to have been dismembered by his killers after being shot in the eye with an arrow during the battle.

The search is being sponsored by author Peter Burke, who claims to have identified a link from Harold’s daughter to the current Royal Family, which he believes could be used to identify the remains.

The author has also written two historical novels and has different theories about Harold II’s death.

He said: “I am convinced Harold survived the Battle of Hastings.

“If we find the complete remains of an old man in his late 70's with scarring to his temple from a battle wound then we need to do a DNA test.

“Our understanding of this particular period of English history would have to change.”