Man dies in river after attack on woman

A man died when his car plunged into a river after a woman was left badly injured in an apparently linked assault.

The attack on the 31-year-old woman happened in the garage of a house at Cobh, Co Cork.

She suffered serious head injuries and her condition in hospital was described today as critical.

The circumstances of the incident were not clear, but gardaí believe a man fled from the scene in a car.

Soon afterwards police were told that a car had been driven into the River Lee near the centre of Cork.

Later the body of a man, also aged 31, was recovered from the vehicle.

Gardaí said foul play was not suspected in the death of the man.