The vital clue that could help establish identity of tragic baby discovered in Salford - everything we know as police issue major update

Fabric found around a baby whose remains were discovered in a snow-covered field in Salford could hold the key to establishing its identity, police say. It comes as detectives revealed they had been consulting experts including archaeologists to try and determine how long the child had been there.

The body of the 'young baby' - named Baby A by officers - was discovered at the entrance to Ashtons Field, next to a lay-by on Cleggs Lane in Little Hulton, shortly before 12.30pm on Wednesday (November 20).

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) detective today made a direct appeal to the baby's mother to contact them. Detective Chief Inspector Charlotte Whalley, from the force's Major Incident Team, also provided further details about how the baby was found and the investigation.

READ MORE:Police issue direct appeal to mum after tragic discovery of baby in Salford

She said officers still don't know the gender, ethnicity or age of the baby, but are hoping those questions can be answered a following a post mortem, due to be held 'early next week'.

"Hopefully next week we will have more answers on that," she said. "At the moment, we just don't know." The baby was found by a lone female dog walker on Wednesday, she added.

The woman who found it initially phoned a relative 'in shock', but 'then called [police] more or less immediately'. "When the walker found the baby, it wasn't buried," DCI Whalley confirmed. "We are trying to establish if the baby had been buried prior to that."

She said detectives had been working with soil experts, anthropologists and archaeologists to 'try and establish how long the baby had been there'. "I would hope they can provide us with some answers regarding that," DCI Whalley confirmed.

"We do believe there was some fabric on the baby, around the baby," she added. "That has been recovered and was being analysed. There was quite a lot of mud." She revealed GMP are working with soil experts, anthropologists and archaeologists to 'try and establish how long the baby had been there'.

DCI Whalley said they had also been working with the National Crime Agency (NCA), which could provide the services of a criminal psychologist if needed. She said there had been 'fantastic support from the community' amid a 'high level of emotion and grief'. "If you've been to the scene, you'll have seen that, with all the tributes," DCI Whalley said.

"People have been approaching us and giving us good information and we're following all lines of enquiry," she added. In her appeal to the mother, DCI Whalley said: "This week, we have discovered the remains of a baby near to the layby off Cleggs Lane, by Ashtons Field in Little Hulton. Our investigation is in the early stages and we do not know the background or circumstances that have led to this baby being separated from the mum.

"We don't know the pressures the mum might have been under before she gave birth or in the time afterwards, but our priority is to find answers, and to make sure the mum is safe.

"We know that this baby’s mum is somewhere out there, potentially watching this, and we would appeal for anyone who may know the mum or had their suspicions about her pregnancy to come forward so we can find her and speak to her. We will do everything we can to help the mum. Trained officers are ready to support her, no matter what the circumstances are, please contact us."