Detectives are unsure how long a body found wrapped in plastic in Salford woodland has been there for.
Police are working hard to try to identify the body, but say it could 'take a long time'.
The victim was found in undergrowth just off Eccles Old Road in Seedley on Tuesday morning.
Police were called at around 8am, and a large cordon was put up between Buile Hill and Langworthy Road.
The entrance to the woodland was also taped off, and a murder investigation was launched.
The gender or age of the person found is still not known.
A GMP spokesman said: "We are not sure how long the body has been there, it can sometimes take a long time to identify a body.
"Enquiries are ongoing to identify the body."
Speaking on Tuesday, a woman who lives on Eccles Old Road said: "I heard screams.
"That must have been when the body was found. School kids are always walking through the cut-in to the woods there to get to school. It must have been terrible for whoever found it."
Another neighbour said: "I left my house this morning to go to church. I saw police officers talking to three lads with bikes on Eccles Old Road, they were all in their school uniforms."
Anyone who has any information about the grim discovery is asked to contact police 'as a matter of urgency'.
Det Chief Insp Colin Larkin of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Clearly, we’re looking at suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery of the body and are doing everything we can at the scene to gather as much evidence as possible.
"This is why you’ll see a number of officers and specialist units close to Eccles Old Road and why parts of the area will be cordoned off.
“I appreciate that this news is extremely alarming for people in the local area but should anyone have any information, whether that is about what happened or whether they noticed something suspicious, they need to get in touch with us as a matter of urgency.
“We have a highly skilled team of detectives working on this case and will provide updates as and when we are able to do so but for now, I thank you for your patience that allows us to continue with our enquiries.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 6777 quoting reference number 585 of 09/07/19 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
