Woman found outside Carluke church froze to death, post-mortem reveals

The woman, thought to be in her 30s, was discovered by an organist at St John's Church in Carluke, Lanarkshire, yesterday morning.

She was partially clothed when she was found in freezing conditions and was taken to Wishaw General Hospital but died a short time later.

It is understood she had hypothermia.

Strathclyde Police are investigating but said today her death is not suspicious after a post-mortem examination last night.

The church cancelled its 11am service yesterday because of the discovery and community leaders spoke of their shock today.

South Lanarkshire councillor Eileen Logan, who lives in Carluke, said: "Obviously the community is quite shocked and saddened."

Reverend Roy Cowieson, the minister for St John's, said: "When we heard that the lady had died we were extremely sorry that something like that would happen in Carluke and outside the church."

Reverend Cowieson said the church's organist found the woman and there was snow on the ground in the surrounding area.

Speaking today, organist Fiona Hobson told STV News: "My initial reaction was just shock and confusion. I thought at first she was a jogger because of what she was wearing but it became very clear, very quickly that she wasn't.

"She was really in quite a bad way and obviously with her wearing so little clothes she was extremely cold.

"I stopped a man in the street to help me drag her into the church where I just covered her up and did the best I could to look after her until the ambulance arrived."

Asked how she felt about the discovery, she said: "I think because I've had quite a lot of emergency service experience in the past it's not such a shock to me as it might have been to somebody else, which to me is very, very fortunate and that I could do the very best I could for her."