Investigation launched after missing woman's car found

A homicide investigation has been launched in Christchurch after the car of a missing woman was discovered in a supermarket carpark.

The car had been reportedly been in the Woolston New World Car carpark for up to a week.

Some media outlets reported that the body of a woman who had been missing was found in the boot of the car.

A neighbour, Niquita Cowan, said police, including a forensic team, arrived at the carpark about 4pm yesterday, Radio New Zealand reported.

They cordoned off an area around the car and searched three others parked around it, she told RNZ.