THE body of a woman was pulled out of the river Avon at Eckington, near Pershore, on Wednesday afternoon.

Emergency services retrieved the body using a boat after they were called at around 4pm but the woman was pronounced dead by the riverside at 5.15pm.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out today. An inquest into the death is set to be opened on Tuesday at Worcestershire Coroner's Court in Stourport at 2pm.

Police had not identified the woman when the Worcester News went to press.