‘Unexplained’ death of woman near railway

The A63 was closed again yesterday as officers examined the scene where the woman’s body was discovered in a field at Monk Fryston near the railway line.

Officers said it was “too early to say” whether there are any suspicious circumstances but stressed the disovery was not connected with any long-running investigations such as that into the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, who went missing in York in 2009.

In a statement North Yorkshire Police said: “North Yorkshire Police were called by a member of the public at 3.20pm on Saturday June 1 following the discovery of a woman’s body in a field next to the A63 at Monk Fryston, near the railway line.

“Police officers are currently at the scene of the incident and the A63 has been closed to allow officers to examine the scene and establish the circumstances of the woman’s death.”

Residents said the body was found in an area occasionally used by joggers and dog walkers. One said: “All we really know is that they have found a woman’s body – that’s it, they have kept it really hush-hush.

“The road was closed until around 11pm on Saturday night and then they reopened it. This morning they closed it again around 9.30am.”

Locals have been having to take a three-mile diversion because of the road closure and that of a local B road for bridge repairs.