COPS are desperately hunting for the parents of a baby whose body was dumped near a snow-covered field.
The grim discovery of “Baby A” was made by a dog walker yards from Ashtons Field in Salford close to the M61 motorway bridge at around 12.30pm yesterday.
Greater Manchester Police still do not know the sex, age, or ethnicity of the infant, with the remains found in a wooded area beside the entrance to parkland.
A police cordon remains in place at the scene of the grim discovery near Ashton’s Field in Little Hulton as scenes of crime officers continue to work under two forensic tents.
Chf Supt Neil Blackwood urged anyone with information about Baby A or the parents to come forward immediately.
Floral tributes and soft toys, including stuffed teddy bears and snowmen, have been left at the cordon by concerned locals.
Among these were a number of upset young mums carrying their own infants who visited the scene to pay their respects and lay tributes.
Michelle Eddison, 43, was walking her dog Apollo around the Ashton Fields area this morning.
Michelle said: “This area is really popular with dog walkers and kids. It’s always busy during the day. We’ve walked our dog here many times.
“There would be no time to leave a baby. This is a very busy road and the mother could be from anywhere really.
“The whole community is rattled, really shocked.”
Ashton’s Field, an area of meandering paths, grassland and woodland on a former colliery site, is off Cleggs Lane, near the M61.
The baby’s remains were discovered just yards from the entrance, beside which is a makeshift lay-by at around 12.30pm.
Julie Cooper, 45, said: “Because the poor little baby was found so close to the road and entrance to the park, it could well be that someone has driven here.
“They’ve just pulled in and thrown or placed the baby in the bushes and driven off. They could have come from anywhere.”
Dawn Thompson, 31, visited the site with her four month old daughter Piper to pay her respects and lay a soft toy at the cordon.
Dawn said: “I’ve come to pay my respects to the little baby. I’ve got my own, so it hits a lot harder when you see something like this.
“It’s horrible to know it was a baby and I feel sorry for the poor person whose found it.
“It made me cuddle my own baby a bit more.
“We don’t know who the little baby’s family are. It’s hard to know what to think until you know why they’ve done this.”
Greater Manchester Police have stated that they we are following several lines of enquiry, and we are working with local partner agencies to understand who this baby could be, how long they have been here, and how they have sadly died.
Addressing reporters at a press conference near the scene, Chf Supt Neil Blackwood said yesterday: “Tragically, today, we have found what we believe to be the remains of a young baby on Ravenscraig Road in Salford.
“We have a scene in place, and you will likely see an increased presence of officers in the local area while we carry out enquiries to understand the circumstances.
“All of this is extremely sensitive, and this investigation needs to be handled with the utmost care it deserves, and it is going to take time.”
The Chf Supt urged anyone with any information to come forward.
He said: “The most important thing for us right now is to find answers for this baby. Even the most minor of detail could be crucial to our investigation.
“If you have seen anyone in the area over the last few days, or know who the parents could be, please call as soon as you can.
“As soon as we are in the position to confirm further details about the circumstances, we will do so.”
The Chf Supt added that post mortem results should be released within the next two days.
