The Mancunian Way: A tragic discovery, a community in mourning

Yesterday afternoon, in the snow on the edge of a Salford playing field, a dog walker made a heartbreaking discovery. There, just yards from the M61 motorway, lay the remains of a young baby.

Police were called to Ashtons Field in Little Hulton at about 12.30pm. As news of the tragedy spread, so did a profound sadness.

A steady stream of distraught locals have been arriving at the scene to lay teddy bears and flowers in memory of the child named 'Baby A' by police. The identity of the youngster may not be known yet, but the community is still mourning the tragic loss.

Among them was Tony Griffiths, who told James Holt he knows all too well the pain of losing a child. Some 13 years ago he lost his son, aged 19.

"I know what it's like to lose a child," he said as he laid red flowers at the scene. "The mother should come forward.

"She will have family. It's such a tragic case.

"I feel sorry for the mother. It's sad all round - but she could need help and support, and there isn't enough of that.

"Nobody knows yet what happened, but people will finger point. She could've been in a mental health situation and didn't know what to do."

Another woman said she had turned off social media after seeing speculation on a local Facebook group. "The worry is now is that it's someone we know," she said. "But there could be a million reasons behind it."

At the time of writing the baby's identity, sex and ethnicity are yet to be determined. Detectives are also yet to establish how long the baby had been left at the scene.

Speaking last night GMP say they hope to have the results of a Home Office post-mortem examination within two days.

At a press conference, Chief Supt Neil Blackwood appealed for anyone with information to come forward. He