A MURDER inquiry has been launched after a woman's body was found at a property in Teignbridge today.

Officers cordoned off Iddesleigh Terrace, Dawlish, early this morning after the discovery.

Emergency services were called to the address just after 3am after the body was found in suspicious circumstances.

Just a few minutes earlier police had circulated details of a 'high-risk missing person' whose personal details were revealed with a photo.

Police asked at the time we went to press yesterday morning for no specific details of the missing person – a woman aged 36 – to be released until members of her family had been informed.

The police activity around the town centre address immediately sparked a rush of questions from concerned members of the public on social media anxious to know what had happened.

The missing person alert – later withdrawn by police – was issued at 2.45am.

It revealed that the person sought was reported missing on Wednesday night after family attempts to contact her had failed. They made their concerns known to police.

Coastguards, a lifeboat crew and the police helicopter undertook immediate searches of the area in an effort to trace the woman.

Later, South Devon police commander Supt Glen Mayhew confirmed the body of a 36-year-old woman had been found at Iddesleigh Terrace.

He added that a local man – also aged 36 – had been arrested at the address on suspicion of murder.

Specially trained officers were supporting the woman's family while the Major Crime Investigation team carried out further inquiries.

The arrested man was taken to Exeter for questioning.

Supt Mayhew said there would be an enhanced police presence in the resort in the wake of the murder inquiry launch.