The body of a woman found at St Clair beach yesterday has been formally identified.
Detective Senior Sergeant John Ferguson said today the circumstances surrounding her death were not suspicious, and thanked members of the public who aided in her identification.
A man walking his dog contacted emergency services after discovering the body above the tideline between St Clair and Middle Beach, just after 6am yesterday.
A large area of the beach was cordoned off, including a park bench on the Esplanade where a towel had been left.
A man who was running in the area around the time of the body's discovery told the Otago Daily Times ''the cops were yelling at people to get off the beach''.
''You could see at the poles all the interest was down there ... with a body under a white plastic sheet.''
The body was removed about 10am.
