DARTMOUTH, N.S. -- There was a heavy police presence Monday in one Dartmouth, N.S., neighbourhood where police say an 85-year-old woman was found dead on Saturday morning.

Exactly what happened at a home on Lynwood Drive in Dartmouth remains unclear, but police say the woman's death is suspicious.

"At this point, we currently don't have any suspects," said Halifax Regional Police spokesman Const. John MacLeod. "It is still the early stages of the investigation and we are gathering information."

The woman has been identified as Eleanor Noreen Harding, who had lived in the area for years.

"She was a nice woman, very nice," said one neighbour, who did not give their name. "She was in very good shape," said another. "She looked after her own home, mowed her own grass. She was very independent, never asked for help."

Neighbours say the area is quiet and they are in disbelief about Harding's death.

Police are being tight-lipped about their investigation. They won't say how long Harding was dead before she was found or how she died. They also won't say why they believe her death is suspicious.

"Information the investigators has gathered have led them to believe that the death itself is suspicious in nature," was all MacLeod would say about the investigation.

Harding's home remains the focal point of the police investigation, but a nearby playground and wooded area was also blocked off by police tape as investigators continued to search for clues.

On Monday evening, ground search and rescue helped search the wooded area.

"Our investigators, along with our forensic identification section are on scene," MacLeod said. "They're currently looking for evidence both from the residence and surrounding scene as well."

Police say they will stay on scene as long as necessary to properly gather evidence and try to piece together what happened to Harding.

They are asking for help from the public. Anyone who has any information about the incident or Harding's recent activities is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.