Police investigating a suspected murder in Brough have been stopping motorists today as a team of 20 officers continue their inquiries.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Johnson said vehicles had been pulled over in both Brough and Kirkby Stephen this morning to see if anybody had seen anything the previous day.

Officers are continuing to question a 48-year-old local man, who is in custody at Carlisle, on suspicion of murdering a woman in her forties.

The woman, who police believe is not local, was found dead in Black Bull Lane, about half a mile from Brough town centre, at around 8am on Wednesday.

Her death is currently being treated as suspicious and unexplained.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out this morning, but her family are still to be informed and formal identification yet to take place.

Three vehicles seized from the scene are also being examined.

Police have until 11pm to either release, charge or apply for more time to question the suspect.

He was arrested a few hours after the woman's body was found, close to Swindale Farm, after house-to-house inquiries were started.

A white forensic tent could be seen covering the body yesterday and a Home Office pathologist was understood to be at the scene.

The body was removed at around 2.40pm in a private ambulance.

Speaking at a police cordon, Detective Chief Inspector Lee Johnson would not be drawn on the woman's injuries or how she died.

He said officers knew who the woman was but her name would not be released until formal identification had taken place and her immediate family informed.

DCI Johnson appealed to anyone with information to get in touch with police on 101.