The Manx police are helping in an investigation following the death of a woman in Cyprus.

Authorities in Cyprus raised the call for help in finding family members of Patricia Lambert, whose body has lain unclaimed in the morgue of a Paphos hospital since her death seven months ago in January.

Unless a family member can be found in the next few months, she will be given a ’pauper’s’ funeral by the state.

Detective Inspector Gavin Callow confirmed to the Manx Independent that the police are ’confident there are no local connections other than a bank account held here’.

The account in question has been the subject of fraudulent withdrawals of cash since her death, according to Ken Corlett, a financial investigator, of the Manx police force’s economic crime unit .

Additionally, there are squatters currently living in the Kato Paphos flat she owned.

The case made headlines this week when Mr Corlett contacted the Cyprus Mail seeking assistance in tracing the next of kin following the death of Patricia Lambert, nee West, aged 86, on January 11.

She was born on February 26, 1934,and was a UK passport holder.

Mr Corlett reported money has been taken in Paphos from her Isle of Man-based bank account.

A number of withdrawals of around â?¬400 and â?¬500 were made soon after her death.

The police here on the island said: ’Isle of Man police are helping out in this sad case after we were contacted in relation to a bank account held on the Island.

’We have linked with the BBC in Surrey as we believe she has family and/or connections there.’

Anyone with information should contact Ken Corlett at [email protected]