Police say they are keeping an open mind over the death of a woman at a care home for patients with mental health difficulties.

The 63-year-old, who has not been named, was found unconscious in a bath at Lyncroft Care Home in Bushwood, Leytonstone.

The emergency services were called just after 10.30am this morning but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 11.04am.

Her next of kin have yet to be informed of her death.

It has not been confirmed if she was a resident of the care home.

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said the woman died "despite extensive efforts from our staff" treating her at the scene. 

An air ambulance landed on Wanstead Flats just before 11am but left a short while later.

Lyncroft Care Home is a private facility in a converted house on the affluent Bushwood street, which overlooks Wanstead Flats.

It has 12 single rooms and caters for those with a variety of mental health conditions, including those detained under the Mental Health Act.

Marcia Murray, 50, lives a few doors down from Lyncroft.

She said: "I'm very sad to hear about what happened.

"I can't remember there being any problems or trouble there in the past. 

"I'm quite shocked".

Sunbeams Day Nursery is next door to the care home. 

Visibly shocked staff told the Guardian that police had refused to tell them what had happened.

One worker, who did not want to be named, said: "There was an air ambulance and lots of police everywhere, it was a bit worrying.

"All the police would say is that it was nothing to concern ourselves about.

"They also said there wasn't any risk to the children, which was a relief for us."

Lyncroft was last inspected by government watchdog the Care Quality Commission in January.

The inspector found that the home was meeting all standards of care.

A Met spokeswoman said: "At this early stage officers retain an open mind as to the circumstances surrounding the death... 

"A post-mortem examination will be scheduled in due course.

"The circumstances surrounding the death are being investigated by Waltham Forest CID."

The Guardian was unable to obtain a comment from anyone at Lyncroft today.