The body of a young woman has been found in a park near Swindon town centre.

Police officers received reports that a body of a woman, in her 20s, had been discovered in GWR Park shortly after 11am on Sunday, August 4.

A cordon was immediately put in place with caution tape and at least one officer guarding each entrance to the park, while multiple officers were stationed on Faringdon Road and around the back of the park on Church Place Road.

Several police vehicles were parked at the scene, including a van, and two crime scene investigation vans arrived in the afternoon and parked next to two police cars on Faringdon Road.

Around 2:35pm, two forensic detectives were seen in the park and one was speaking to a police officer stationed outside and they used a blue blanket draped across a section of the fence all day to hide the area where forensic detectives were searching.

READ MORE: Police cordon off park in Swindon

The section they were interested in was very close to the main entrance of GWR park on Faringdon Road and overgrown with vegetation.

All afternoon passers-by stopped to ask officers what had happened and cars driving past slowed down to have a look at the scene, but officers refused to comment while the cordon was in place.

One of the crime scene investigators was seen walking out of the park carrying what appeared to be a large white plastic bin bag, which was then put into the back of the van, before they left around 4:21pm.

The cordon was lifted shortly after and police officers, who had been stationed at the scene for most of the day, started leaving around 4:30pm.

As soon as the cordon was lifted, the park was back open as usual and dog-walkers and families were seen inside the grounds at 4:44pm.  

A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said: “We responded to reports that a woman's body had been discovered in GWR Park, Swindon just after 11am this morning (Sunday).

“Sadly, a woman in her 20s was declared deceased and her next of kin have been informed. Our thoughts are her family at this difficult time.

“The park was closed for a number of hours while officers carried out an investigation what happened but has now reopened.

“Although we are in the early stages of this investigation, we do not believe there to be a wider risk to the public.”