THE body of a woman has been found at a Worcester retail park.

Police were called after a Wickes DIY store worker made the grisly discovery at about 6.45am yesterday.

Parts of Shrub Hill Retail Park and the nearby canal towpath were cordoned off as forensic officers examined the body and preserved the scene, where a blue tent was put up at the side of the home improvement centre.

About 10 uniformed and plain clothed officers were at the park during the morning.

At this stage the death is being treated by police as “unexplained”.

A member of staff at Wickes said one of their colleagues, called Simon, found the body while waiting for a delivery and phoned police.

The woman, in her 40s, has been named locally as Ann Green. It is believed she may have been sleeping rough with temperatures dropping to -3C over night.

Best friend Paula Simmonds, aged 36, of no fixed address, said she had seen her at about 11.30pm on Sunday night.

She said Miss Green had previously lived in a tent near Shrub Hill railway station and at a B&B in Barbourne after being “kicked out” of St Paul’s Hostel in Tunnel Hill.

Another member of the public at the scene who did not wish to be named said Miss Green had recently being staying at a house in the Wylds Lane area of the city.

Miss Simmonds said: “I got a text about it so had to come down and see for myself.

“She was an alcoholic but never took drugs. She was the kindest, most loving person you could meet. Lots of people will say that.

“She had been in and out of hospital with liver problems but I said to her on Sunday she looked a thousand times better than the last time I had seen her.

“I can’t understand why this has happened.”

A spokesman from West Mercia Police said: “Police are investigating after a woman’s body was found in the Tallow Hill area of Worcester.

“Officers were called to the scene at 6.48am where the woman, in her 40s, was pronounced dead. The death is being treated as unexplained.”

No one from St Paul’s Hostel was available to comment.