YORKSHIRE POLICE ARE investigating after a newborn baby was found in a wheelie bin.

They have issued an urgent appeal for help in tracing the mother of the baby girl.

They said that the baby was found after officers were called at around 2.40pm yesterday. A member of the public told them they had discovered the baby’s body in a wheelie bin in a communal waste area on Whitcliffe Grange in Richmond.

Paramedics attended the scene, but police said that sadly the baby girl could not be revived, and was pronounced dead.

Inspector Mark Gee, of Richmond Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:

Enquiries are at a very early stage and our primary concern is to locate the mother of the new born baby girl to ensure that she receives urgent medical care. It is highly likely that the mother is in a very distressed state and needs professional support. We urge her to contact the police or medical staff as a matter of urgency as her health and wellbeing is the priority.

Yorkshire Police have asked anyone who has any information that could help to contact them on the UK emergency number on 101, using the incident number NYP-01122014-0234.