Police have launched an investigation after the body of a woman was found in the canal at Kildwick this morning.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “Officers were called by a member of the public at 7.15am to the canal in Kildwick, reporting that they had seen a body in the water.

“On arrival they located a body, which is that of a woman.”

She was pronounced dead by paramedics.

The spokesman added: “A police investigation has begun to identify the person and how they came to be in the water.

“The inquiry is at a very early stage and we are not yet able to give any further details.”