The body of a woman in her 70s has been found at a beach, police have said.

Officers were called to the town of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight on Sunday morning to a report that the body of a woman had been spotted in the water, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Formal identification is yet to take place, however her next of kin have been have been informed and a file will be prepared for the coroner in relation to this unexpected death,” the force said in a statement.

An HM Coastguard spokesperson said: “We responded to reports of a person in the water in Shanklin this morning.

“Alerted at around 9.30am, Bembridge and Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Teams, a lifeboat from Bembridge RNLI and the coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-the-Solent were sent to the scene.”