Police in Spain are investigating the gruesome discovery of a headless body found on a beach in Marbella.

The headless corpse, which was also missing hands and had a gash on the abdomen, washed up on Las Canas Beach on 8th January.

Minutes earlier, it had been spotted bobbing in the sea by a group of diners at a restaurant near the promenade.

They had first thought it was a swimmer struggling in the water but had been advised not to attempt a rescue because of the choppy seas at the time.

After emergency services were called, National Police officers arrived on the scene and sealed off the area.

The body, which had washed ashore, was sent for a post-mortem examination in Malaga.

Police said it belonged to a woman aged around 30.

The Civil Guard has taken over the probe and, at the time of reporting, all lines of investigation remained open.

Local media reported that a naked corpse found by a hiker on the outskirts of Villanueva del Trabuco last spring also lacked a head, hands, and genitals.

Police believe that case was a settling of scores between drug gangs based in the Costa del Sol.