DETECTIVES investigating the suspected murder of a 25-year-old woman in York have issued a fresh appeal for witnesses.

A woman, named locally as Claire Lucas, was found dead in a property in Fourth Avenue, at 1pm on Monday, July 2, after concerns were raised for her welfare.

Police arrested a 35-year-old local man on suspicion of murder, and later released him on conditional bail as investigations continue.

Today, North Yorkshire Police said they wanted to find anyone who saw "a fight or altercation between two men in the area of the parade of shops between Seventh Avenue and Melrosegate on Fourth Avenue" overnight on Saturday, June 30.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Pearson of North Yorkshire Police said the force was not in a position to formally identify the victim, but urged anyone with information to contact the force immediately.

He said: "The scene is in a residential area and we have been speaking with the local community to obtain as much information as we can and to reassure them that we are working hard to establish the circumstances of the woman’s death.

"We continue to appeal to anyone who may have seen or heard anything unusual around this location, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to please come forward."

Officers have so far conducted house to house enquiries, carried out forensic examinations of the scene and have spoken to witnesses to try and establish the full circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

Witnesses or anyone with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option one, and speak to the Force Control Room.

Alternatively, phone Crimestoppers - anonymously - on 0800 555111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org, quoting reference 12180118649.