BREAKING NEWS: A Kaiapoi man has been charged with murder after a woman's body was found in a Burwood house this morning.

Emergency services were called to a Travis Rd house about 10.15am after the body was found inside the home.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Hill said the 29-year old man was interviewed by police this afternoon, and was charged with murder this evening.

He will appear at Christchurch District Court tomorrow morning.

The identity of the victim has not been released as next of kin are still being notified. An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow.

Hill said the early arrest was a positive result for police, and was the result of "good investigative work".

"We are continuing to talk to people associated with the victim and our forensic work will also continue for some time as we put together a picture of what has occurred."

A team of 20 investigators along with ESR staff are currently working on the case.

A scene examination at the address is likely to continue for several days.

Neighbours of the Burwood house said today they were shocked by the discovery.

Vicki Stickkelman, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 26 years, said she was "absolutely petrified''.

''I've got a young one at home and I just want to know what's going on,'' she said.
 
Another neighbour, Juliet O'Connor, said she did not know who lived at the property, but she had heard "party noises" coming from the house in the past.

The neighbourhood was not a bad one, she said.

"We've only been here six months. Pre-quake, there was the odd doughnut at the end of the road and the odd tagger, but nothing like this,'' she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News