The death of a woman whose body was found in a layby is being treated as murder, police have confirmed.
Police said the murder investigation has been launched after the woman's body was found in the early morning of August 9 off Bridgnorth Road in Perton, the Midlands.
Detectives are working to identify the woman. The circumstances around her death are not yet understood, BirminghamLive reports.
Detective Chief Inspector Dan Ison, of Staffordshire Police, is leading the investigation and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
He said: "We’re working on a number of lines of enquiry, but it’s critical that we identify her as soon as possible and we’re appealing for the public’s help.
"We’re also keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Bridgnorth Road and may have seen anything between 2am and 3am today."
Bridgnorth Road has been closed in both directions from Tinacre Hill to the junction with Jenny Walkers Lane with a diversion in place while forensics teams continue working.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police online, on social media or by calling 101 quoting the reference number 42 of August 9.
Anyone with any information can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Neighbours spoke of their shock at the discovery of the woman's body, with Graham Turner telling The Express and Star: "It is an awful thing to happen. Up there as well, it makes you wonder what happened.
"The police are taking it very seriously. It's the first thing to happen round here. It's been a nice area to live."
Another local resident, added: "You don't hear about that round here. It's a main road and there is no real access from that road. It's absolutely shocking and terrible."
Birmingham Live reported that emergency service crews including West Midlands Ambulance Service raced to the scene but the woman was tragically pronounced dead.
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "Detectives are treating a death reported in south Staffordshire this morning as murder.
"A body – believed to be that of a woman - was found early this morning in a layby in Bridgnorth Road in Perton.
"The circumstances around her death are not yet understood and detectives are working to identify her.
"We’re keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Bridgnorth Road and may have seen anything between 2am and 3am today."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called to an incident at the junction of Jenny Walkers Lane and Bridgnorth Road at 2.49am on Monday, one ambulance, a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor attended the scene.
"On arrival we discovered one patient, who sadly could not be saved and they were confirmed dead at the scene."
