Merseyside Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of an elderly woman was found dumped in a black bin bag in Stanley Park, Liverpool, having lain undiscovered for several weeks despite the park's popularity with joggers and dog walkers. A member of the public discovered the body in a walled garden area on Friday afternoon, but police say several other visitors had previously noticed the bag without realising it was suspicious, and detectives have yet to identify the victim despite extensive checks against missing person reports.

The woman is described as white, in her 70s, around 5ft 2ins tall, of small build, with strawberry blonde hair, and was wearing a pink Nike T-shirt. A post-mortem has been carried out, though the cause of death has not been disclosed for investigative reasons. Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson is leading the inquiry, with officers examining CCTV, conducting house-to-house enquiries and appealing for dashcam or doorbell footage; a mobile police station has been set up in the 110-acre park, and the public can also contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.