Police also said a post-mortem examination had proved "inconclusive"
and the infant's exact age was still unknown.

UPDATE 3.45PM: THE detective leading a team of 15 officers investigating the discovery of a baby's body this afternoon appealed to the mother.
At a press conference at Cambridgeshire police headquarters in Huntingdon, Detective Inspector Jim McCrorie said: "Our thoughts have turned to the mother of this baby and we are concerned that she may need some help.

"We are urging her to go to her local hospital to get the attention she may need.

"It may be that she wants to speak to officers who are looking into the baby's death."

DI McCrorie said the recycling plant takes waste from around the Peterborough area and throughout the Midlands and it was not known how long the body had been there.

He added it was too early to say where the baby was from and also whether it was a boy or a girl.

Post mortem tests were being carried at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge.

Specialist search teams remained at the plant as investigations continued.

1.40PM UPDATE: POLICE have urged the mother of a dead baby discovered this morning at a waste recycling centre in Peterborough to contact them.

Detective Superintendent John Raine, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of this baby.

"We are also concerned for the mother. It may be that she needs some medical attention urgently and we would urge her to go to a hospital.

"If she would like to get in touch with us, she can do so on 0845 456 4564 and officers will ensure she gets the information she needs.

"If anyone has any information to help us, please call Cambridgeshire police."


11.30am: HORRIFIED workers at the city's recycling centre today discovered the body of a baby among the household rubbish.
Within minutes of the grim discovery at the Fengate plant, which handles the contents of domestic green recycling bins, police raced to the site.

The infant's body was discovered at the centre in Fourth Drove, Fengate, Peterborough, which is run by Peterborough City Council, at 7.30am.

Police refused to comment on a claim made by an anonymous caller to The Evening Telegraph that the baby was found on the conveyor belt which carries waste before it is separated into different types of materials for recycling.

Detectives were at the scene this morning to begin their inquiries and were questioning staff about the shocking find.

Police have not yet confirmed the gender of the child, but have described it as "newborn".

A post mortem on the child's body is expected to be carried out later today in a bid to establish the cause of death.

A police spokesman said: "The body of a baby has been discovered at a waste recycling centre in Fourth Drove, Fengate, this morning.
"Officers have preserved the scene and will now carry out investigations."

Scenes of crime officers dressed in white suits and wearing masks, began the painstaking hunt for clues. One was clutching a camera.
Police were later guarding the entrance to the centre, where work stopped to allow the specialist officers to carry out their investigation.

A spokesman for Peterborough City Council, which runs the centre, said: "The materials recycling facility will remain closed while police continue their investigations following this tragic discovery. Staff remain on site and once police have concluded their work the facility will re-open.

"There will be no disruption to bin collections during this time."


10.15am: THE body of a newborn baby was today found at a waste recycling plant in Peterborough.

The horrific discovery was made by a worker at the plant, in Fengate, which sorts recycling materials from domestic green bins, at about 7.30am.

Police are expected to be at the scene for several hours.