A woman whose body was found washed up on a beach near Calais region is thought to have fallen from a cliff while changing to swim across the channel.

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The post mortem has revealed the woman ruptured her chest cavity and broke several ribs which punctured her lungs. Heavy internal bleeding is thought to have caused a quick death.

As of yet police have been unable to identify the woman, thought to be about 35, but authorities believe she may have been trying to swim the channel to get to the English coast, possibly to seek asylum in Britain.

A bundle of clothes with “foreign language” labels were found on a nearby cliff, along with a train ticket from Paris.

She was found wearing a swimsuit and cotton leggings, and also covered in Vaseline. Energy drinks and a spare set of clothes protected from the water were also found with her body.

“She must have found a hidden place to get changed, out of view from the pathway where people go walking. Did she fall while looking for a place to get down into the water?” said an attorney.

“At the moment the beaches are patrolled by police and coast guards. She was perhaps looking for a place where she wouldn’t be seen leaving.”