POLICE were today trying to piece together the final moments of a woman two anglers found dead in an Ipswich river.Christopher Johnson and his cousin Steven Thurkettle, both 22, were fishing in the River Gipping in Riverside Road when they uncovered the body of a middle aged woman.

TWO anglers who found a woman's body while fishing in Ipswich have today spoken of their shock at the gruesome discovery.

Christopher Johnson and his cousin Steven Thurkettle, both 22, were fishing in the River Gipping in Riverside Road when they uncovered the body of a middle aged woman.

Mr Johnson of Riverside Road, said: “I am full of flu and went out fishing to clear my head.

“I saw a walking stick on the bank on Sunday and it was still there today.

“My cousin saw a blue jacket in the water and we put two and two together and though 'it's a body'.

“I reached down and pushed it with my rod and this body pushed up.

“I'm shook up and really scared.”

Mr Thurkettle had travelled from Yorkshire to visit his cousin and was visibly distressed and shaking when he spoke to The Evening Star.

He called police to the scene at about 12.10pm yesterday and said three officers had been in to the water to retrieve the body.

He added: “We were only going down for half an hour and then there was a walking stick there and this blue coat floating about. My cousin got the rod and poked it and it was hard.

“She looked in her 50s or 60s and was wearing gold earrings, gold glasses and three gold rings.”

Detective Sergeant Ewan MacGregor , who is leading the investigation, said scenes of crimes officers would ascertain whether the death was suspicious.

He added: “We think she has fallen on the kerb side of the river bank and the water is so cold she has died. We are carrying out door-to-door enquiries.”

Relatives of the woman, who is believed to be in her 60s, were still being informed of her death early today. Although her identity will not be released until next-of-kin are told and formal identification has taken place, the woman is thought to have links to an old people's home in the area.

A post mortem will take place in due course to determine the cause of death.

Ds MacGregor appealed for any witnesses, who may have seen the woman walking in Riverside Road over the weekend, to come forward.

Anyone with information should call Ds MacGregor on 01473 613500.