The body of a woman who went missing nearly 40 years ago was discovered in an attic of a house being renovated in the German city of Cloppenburg. 

A 33-year-old man, who was working on the house which belonged to his father, found the skeleton in the attic covered in leaves and straw. The body was found wearing several jackets, trouser and shoes.

After carrying out a post-mortem, police believe that the body is that of a 28-year-old woman who disappeared in 1977 around five kilometres away from the home. 

According to The Independent, local police stated that it was a "very unusual" discovery, and that the mother of three had also been reported missing in 1976 for six weeks, before going missing again in 1977. 

The Local report that police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the death, and they "assume that the woman lay down to sleep and froze to death in the attic."

The man, who was not named, believes he was the first person to enter the attic of his father's home for the best part of four decades.

Via The Sun, Independent.ie, The Local