Tragic discovery of baby's remains found in field near M61 bridge in Little Hulton

The tragic discovery was made by a dog walker in snow-covered fields close to a motorway bridge in Little Hulton at around 12.30pm yesterday.

Police taped off the area and forensic teams were called to inspect the remains as they sought clues to the baby’s identity.

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Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) remain at the scene today, where a forensic tent has been erected behind a cordon and shielded by a screen.

At a press conference from the scene last night, Greater Manchester Police said it was too early to confirm the baby’s ethnicity or gender at this stage. They said they will know more after a Home Office post-mortem examination is completed.

For now, the force said it will refer to the baby as ‘Baby A’, as police chiefs make an appeal for the baby’s parents to come forward.

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Full police statement

Chief Superintendent and District Commander for Salford, Neil Blackwood said: "Tragically, we have found what we believe to be the remains of a young baby on Ravenscraig Road, near Ashtons Field in Little Hulton.

“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.

"At this stage, 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.

“We are now calling this baby, Baby A. 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.

"We know that this news will devastate our communities, and while we do not have all the answers to these questions yet, I want to reassure residents that we will do all we can to find out what has happened here.”

He added: “The most important thing for us right now is to find answers for this baby and I would urge anyone who has any information at all to get in touch with us.

"Even the most minor 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 us as soon as you can.

“As soon as we are in a position to confirm further details about the circumstances, we will do so.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting log 1319 of 20/11/24.

“If you would prefer to remain anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."