A woman's body has been found washed up on a beach in Thanet.

Police were called to the slipway at Minnis Bay, Birchington, at around 7.30am this morning.

A dog walker raised the alarm after spotting the body, which is understood to have been washed in by the tide.

It is believed the woman, who was in her 50s but has not yet been named, comes from the Sidcup area. Her next of kin have been informed.

A spokesman for Kent Police said the coroner had been informed of the death, which is being treated as unexplained pending the results of a post mortem next week.