'I'm in shock, my daughter plays down there' - Residents react after body of woman found on footpath in early hours

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

There was shock and disbelief after a woman's body was discovered on a popular footpath next to a retail park in Rochdale this morning.

Emergency services were called to an area of footpath between Ashfield Road and Sandbrook Park shopping centre at around 4.30am today (17 July).

Police initially responded to reports of a concern for the welfare of a person. An area of footpath next to Ashfield Valley Primary School was taped off by Greater Manchester Police for a number of hours, with multiple police vehicles near the scene and two forensic tents spotted inside the cordon.

In an update this morning, police confirmed the body of a woman, believed to be in her 40s, had been discovered. Forensic teams wearing white overalls were seen placing yellow markers and crime scene investigators combed the area for evidence.