Foetus found buried near church

Toys, a Christmas card and an Easter egg had been placed on the grave

The remains of a human foetus have been discovered buried in a field near a church on the Isle of Wight.

The remains were found on land near St Blasius Church, Rectory Road, Shanklin, on Saturday. Police think they had been there for several months.

Hampshire Constabulary said it was a "tragic incident" and it is not being treated as suspicious.

Officers are trying find the mother "so that the appropriate help and support can be arranged", a spokesman said.

Police were alerted to the grave in a field behind the church by a member of the public.

Toys, a Christmas card and an Easter egg was found piled on top of the shallow grave.

The police spokesman said the case was not being passed to the coroner as the foetus had never been alive and therefore there was no reason to hold an inquest.

Reverend Alan Swanborough, of St Blasius Church, said: "It's an odd place to have buried it. Maybe they're thinking it was a space as close to the church as they could get.

"I've had to deal with stillborn births before and there is very often a lot of guilt there. [Parents think] could we have done something to prevent this.

"People need a lot of help through it and there is someone there who obviously needs the help.

"The sooner we can find out who it is and get them some professional counselling, the better."