Police are hunting the killer of a woman who was found stabbed to death in a London park, possibly when she was out jogging.

The body of the woman, thought to be in her late 20s, was discovered on Monday morning in Victoria Park, Hackney, north London.

Police are still trying to establish her identity, saying she was carrying no identification and no-one had reported her missing.

It's a terribly frightening incident. It shakes you when something like this happens Rachel Sherma, Hackney resident

They said a cyclist, someone walking a dog and another jogger heard screams at about 0830 GMT, and rushed to an area of the park where the woman was found slumped on a path between rose gardens and a children's play area.

The victim is described as between 5ft and 5ft 6ins tall with short dark brown hair.

She was wearing black leggings, a green fleece top and grey trainers.

Witness appeal

Detective Chief Inspector Ron Scott of the Metropolitan Police Serious Crime Group said the victim may have lived alone.

A post mortem performed at Poplar Mortuary on Monday night confirmed that the woman was stabbed to death.

It is not yet known if the victim was sexually assaulted.

Police appealed for anyone who had seen or heard anything suspicious to come forward.

"It is remarkably busy at that time of the morning, people walking their dogs and people coming to and from work," Mr Scott said.

'Opportunist' attack

Rachel Sherma, who lives nearby, said: "It's a terribly frightening incident. It shakes you when something like this happens.

"I certainly won't be going in there alone until they have caught whoever is responsible for this."

Between 30 and 40 officers have been searching the park for clues, with mounted police, dog teams, a helicopter and underwater search teams also involved.

The park covers two square miles and contains lakes and a canal.

Once the woman's identity is known police will try to discover if she was the victim of an opportunist attack, or was attacked by someone she knew who had been lying in wait.