Christchurch street cordoned off by police after mystery death

A large blue police tent has been placed at the south end of the street, which has been cordoned off at both ends. Photo / Kurt Bayer

There is intense police activity on a residential street in Christchurch as they piece together details of a mystery death.

Exeter St is this afternoon cordoned off for what police have described as a "sudden death".

They were notified of the death in the upmarket suburb of Merivale at 11.40am today.

About a dozen specialist crime scene officers in both white and blue boiler suits are scouring the scene.

They are focusing on an area where a tradesmans' white van is behind more police cordon tape halfway down the street.

A fenced-off construction site is also near the area of police scrutiny.

There is intense police activity on a residential street in Christchurch as they piece together details of a mystery death. Photo / Kurt Bayer

About ten small blue cones have been placed across the street and both footpaths marking areas of interest.

A crime scene photographer is also on the scene.

A mobile police base van is there, along with halogen lights and a portable toilet.

A large blue police tent has been placed at the south end of the street, which has been cordoned off at both ends.

A police spokeswoman said: "We are waiting to hear back from one of the officers in Christchurch and will be in a better position to give more information then.

"We are working to establish the circumstances around the death and notify next of kin".

An elderly resident leaving the cordoned-off street said they hadn't heard or seen anything out of the ordinary until police showed up just before midday.

Another local woman said officers have been methodical in their approach today.

"They're just slowly abs carefully going about things," she said.

"Whatever's happened, they're taking it very seriously."