A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was found dead on a country lane near the Birmingham-Worcestershire border.
The discovery in Wast Hills Lane, Hopwood, was made by a dog walker around 6am on Friday.
A cordon remains in place this evening and the road is closed while forensics officers work at the scene.
West Mercia Police said the death was initially being considered "unexplained", reports BirminghamLive.
But investigators now believe the fatality is suspicious and a murder probe has been launched.
No identification was found on the body, but officers believe they have determined who she is and are making contact with her family.
Have you been affected by this incident? Let us know at webnews@mirror.co.uk
Detective Chief Inspector Gerry Smith said: "At this stage it is far too early to speculate as to what has happened but it’s important to say that we do not believe there to be any risk to the local or wider community.
"I don’t underestimate the impact that something like this will have on the local community, so you can expect to see additional officers in the surrounding areas while our investigation continues.
"The woman had no identification on her and we have carried out urgent enquiries to find out who she is.
"We now believe we have identified her and are working quickly to make contact with her family.
"This is news that no family ever wants to, or should have to, hear and we will ensure they are supported by specially trained officers.
"We have also been incredibly grateful for the support of the community so far today.
"We are following a number of lines of enquiry but to support our investigation we are eager to hear from anyone that was in the area, or travelling through it, in the early hours of this morning who hasn’t yet spoken to our officers.
“If you feel you have any information that could be useful to our investigation team you can submit it via the Police Major Incident Public Reporting Site, otherwise known as the MIPP.
"This is a direct line into the detectives investigating the murder.
"We will need to keep the road closed for some time yet but we will provide an update when it’s open and provide further information as our investigation progresses."
Information can be provided to the West Mercia MIPP here or by calling 101 quoting incident 070i of May 27.
Alternatively, reports can be made to Crimestoppers anonymously at crimestoppers-uk.org or on 0800 555 111.
