Gardaí have requested the services of the State Pathologist’s Office following the discovery of a body in a burning car in a field in Cork on Monday evening.

Gardaí and emergency services were alerted after an off duty garda spotted a car on fire in a field in Inniscarra about five miles from Cork city at around 6.15pm.

The emergency services and firefighters arrived and quickly extinguished the fire. It is understood they discovered the body, believed to be that of a woman, in the front of the car and gardaí notified the State Pathologist Office and preserved the scene.

Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Linda Mulligan is due to carry out a preliminary examination of the body at the scene on Tuesday before it is removed to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem.

Gardaí have been able to identify the car and trace its registered owner but they say that dental records will be required to formally identify the deceased following the fire.

Although preliminary indications have suggested no evidence of foul play, a Garda spokesman said gardaí will investigate the matter fully and Dr Mulligan’s post-mortem will determine the course of their investigation.