Woman’s body found on beach near Workington
A woman’s body was found on the shore off Workington on Thursday, April 30th.
Cumbria Police said officers were called at around 1.20pm after the body was discovered on the West Cumbrian coast. Emergency services attended Shore Road in Salterbeck. With police, Coastguard rescue teams and North West Ambulance Service vehicles seen in the area.
The death is currently being treated as unexplained. But police said the circumstances are not being treated as suspicious at this time. The Great North Air Ambulance was initially called but was later stood down.
Emergency services called to Salterbeck
Emergency crews were sent to the shoreline near Shore Road after the discovery was reported.
Police attended alongside Coastguard rescue teams and ambulance crews. Access to the area was restricted while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Traffic was stopped from driving onto Shore Road, and walkers were prevented from using the coastal path while the response was ongoing.
Death currently unexplained
Police have confirmed that the woman’s death is currently unexplained.
At this stage, the circumstances are not being treated as suspicious. This means officers are continuing to establish what happened, but there is no current indication that another person was involved.
Further enquiries are likely to be carried out before a file is prepared for the coroner.
Coastal path access restricted
The closure of the coastal path and restrictions around Shore Road were put in place to allow emergency services to work safely and preserve the scene.
Incidents on beaches and coastal paths can require a multi-agency response because of access issues, tide conditions and the need to secure a wide area.
People in the area were asked to avoid the scene while emergency crews carried out their work.
Community concern after discovery
The discovery of a body on a public beach is likely to have caused concern among residents, walkers and people using the coastal path.
Shore Road in Salterbeck is close to the coastline south of Workington and is used by people accessing the shore and nearby paths.
Police have not released the woman’s identity in the information currently available. Formal identification and family liaison may need to take place before further details are confirmed.
What happens next?
Because the death is unexplained, police will continue to gather information about the circumstances.
This can include speaking to witnesses, checking the area, reviewing any relevant reports and working with other emergency services.
If the death remains non-suspicious, the matter will usually be passed to the coroner, who may decide whether an inquest is needed.
No further details about the woman’s age, where she was from or how long she may have been in the area have been released at this stage.
