DETECTIVES have arrested three men on suspicion of murder after a woman's body was found in Astley Bridge.

Police were called by the ambulance service following a report of a sudden death at a house in Eckersley Road in the early hours of yesterday morning.

They found the body of a 43-year-old woman at 3.50am.

Three men, aged 26, 49 and 52, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are being held in police custody for questioning.

The exact circumstances leading to the death have not been confirmed but it is believed police are treating it as a "domestic incident".

Det Supt Joanne Rawlinson said: “I have no doubt residents living nearby will be very upset and concerned on hearing the news this morning.

"I would like to reassure them by confirming that we have responded swiftly and three arrests have been made.

“We are in the very early stages of our enquiries and the circumstances in which this woman died are as yet unknown.

“I would very much like to hear from anyone who may have heard something or witnessed something either on Sunday or in the early hours of Monday morning on Eckersley Road or nearby.”

Residents said they had heard an argument at about 11.30am on Sunday.

They said three men jumped out of a cab and starting banging on the doors.

Donna Handley, aged 45, who lives nearby, said: “The taxi pulled up outside, and waited for them.

“The men in the taxi were English, and they were kicking the front door.

“A young man came out of the house and a woman came walking down. We went shopping and the argument was still going on, one was saying he had been in a relationship with the woman and had children. There were threats being made — and said they would be back.

“The man and the woman went back into the house, and then this morning we saw all the police.

“We are just shocked. This is a nice place to live, very quiet.

“Three men, who are Polish, live in the house, which is rented. They kept themselves to themselves but would say hello when we saw them.

“They were quiet, but there was no woman living there.”

Victoria Boyes, who lives across the street, said: “The Polish guys were often fighting each other in the street and I phoned the police three times over the summer.

“I did not even know until my friend rang me. I’m a similar age so all the family were then ringing, to check I was ok.

“I’m 45 and been here since I was 11 and it has got a lot worse over the last couple of years. You never see any police patrolling any more.

“It is very sad really. Nobody deserves something like that.”

Alia Boda, who lives in the house next door to the crime scene, said: “My dad was going to work at five and saw the police and my mum said the CSI were there.

“My uncle said there must have been a murder because of the amount of police.

“We have lived here for 10 years and it has been peaceful.

“This has come as a huge shock.”

Imran Patel, aged 29, said: “We have never had any problems in the area.

“It is a nice to area to live

“The three men who lived there were quiet

“I’m so shocked, I didn’t hear anything and woke up to the see the police.”

Ikram Patel, aged  34, said: “When we saw the police we thought there had just been a sudden death, we did not expect this.

“I don’t think the people there were new tenants.

“My thoughts are with the woman and her family.”

His brother, Idris, aged 44, said: “I have lived here since the 1970s, it is a family area, and there have never been any issues in the area, it is a real shock to hear what has happened.”

Anyone with information can phone police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.