AN investigation is under way after the body of a woman was found floating in a river.

The grim discovery was made by the crew of a boat in the River Deben at Sutton yesterday morning.

The body, of a woman believed to be in her 50s, was then taken by the vessel to the boatyard in nearby Woodbridge.

Police have not yet released any details of the deceased but there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary said no more information about her identity would be released until her next of kin had been informed.

She said officers were called by the Coastguard around 10.50am yesterday to inform them of the discovery at Sutton.

The EADT was contacted by a member of the public yesterday concerned that it had taken police half an hour to arrive at the boatyard.

But the spokeswoman for police said as well as the call from the Coastguard they also received another about the discovery of a body in Woodbridge and at that stage it was not clear if the reports referred to the same incident.

The search and rescue helicopter was scrambled to the area and officers were sent to the scene of the initial report from the Coastguard at Sutton.

Upon arrival they realised the body had been taken to Woodbridge and that the two reports referred to the same incident.

Last night the spokeswoman said: “Suffolk police were contacted at around 10.50am by the Coastguard who were responding to reports of a body in the river.

“The woman is believed to be in her 50s and police are in the process of informing her next of kin.

“At this stage, as is standard procedure, the death is being treated as unexplained but there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.”