POLICE were called to a house in Boscombe after the body of a woman was found.

Forensic and uniformed officers from Dorset Police arrived at the property at St Clement’s Gardens shortly after they were called at 10.18am on Tuesday.

The initial call was made to the South Western Ambulance Service, at 10.07am, by a representative of the landlord of the house of multiple occupation.

A spokeswoman for the ambulance service confirmed they found a 38-year-old woman deceased at the flat, after they sent one ambulance crew and three rapid response vehicles.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “We were called at 10.18am to reports of a body being found at an address at St Clement’s Gardens in Boscombe. The coroner is aware and police are investigating the circumstances.

“Sadly a woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is not being treated as suspicious.”

The spokesman added that, while only the coroner would be able to provide an official date of death, it was understood that the woman had last been seen two to three weeks ago.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she overheard police officers say that the body was ‘in a bad way’.

She saw an ambulance arrive at the house of multiple occupancy before four police vehicles turned up at the quiet cul-de-sac.

The house is located close to St Clement’s and St John’s Infant School. Officers were seen entering the house wearing masks over their mouths as they gathered evidence.

“I heard the siren and looked out and saw an ambulance,” the neighbour said.

“The ambulance was there for quite a long time and then the police came. Once the police came I figured someone was dead.”

Denis Clewes, who lives in one of the flats of the property, said he was first alerted to a problem when he was woken by a building maintenance worker.

The next thing he knew, he said, there were police officers in the corridor and he was asked to vacate the premises while they carried out their investigation.

A spokesman from the coroner’s office confirmed they had been made aware of the death but it was not yet known if the woman’s next of kin had been informed.

Cllr Jane Kelly, ward member for Boscombe West, said: “It is really sad for the families and for the neighbours.”