A woman in her twenties has been found dead in Christchurch.

Emergency services were called to an address in Spinnaker Lane just before 1am this morning.

The street is a short cul-de-sac with just a handful of houses in the suburb of Clifton.

A cordon blocks off the entrance to the well-to-do street overlooking Sumner and the coast.

The house at the centre of police focus appears to be at the bottom of the steep street.

Detectives are yet to arrive on the scene.

Police have told neighbours there had been an unexplained death.

"We have no idea what's going on," one neighbour said.

Another local woman hoped for answers soon.

"It's so sad, whatever has happened," she said. "Let's just hope it's nothing sinister."