Homicide inquiry launched in Napier

Police in Napier have launched a homicide inquiry after the discovery of a woman's body in a roadside drain on a main highway on the outskirts of the city.

The woman is believed to be middle-aged and police are still trying to identify her.

Napier Area Commander Inspector Kevin Kalff said the woman's body was found this morning around 11am by a member of the public who was cycling along Main North Rd in Bay View, just north of the Rogers Rd intersection.

Police are treating the death as suspicious and have a team of 15 staff working on the inquiry.

Mr Kalff said it was too early to say how the woman died or how she came to be in the roadside drain.