Body of newborn girl found in bag

Forensic officers at the scene of the find

Police have revealed that the body of a baby found in a bag on a cycle path was a newborn girl.

Detectives said the body was found by a member of the public on the track in the Devol Glen area of Inverclyde at about 1740 BST on Wednesday.

Pathology and forensic tests are being carried out at the scene between Greenock and Port Glasgow.

Det Insp Mark McGowan appealed for anyone with any information about the girl to get in touch.

He said: "Our enquiries are at an early stage. We do not know how long the body has lain or the circumstances of the baby's death."

Resident Louise Williamson said she was horrified.

If anyone knows who the mother is, please, for her sake, inform the police or social services Det Insp Mark McGowan

"It's horrible to think somebody has dumped a wee baby," she said.

"There are kids playing about there. You wonder how long it's been lying there and why nobody has missed a wee baby. It's horrible."

A post-mortem examination will take place, Strathclyde Police said.

Det Insp Mark McGowan said police were keen to trace the baby's mother.

"If anyone knows who the mother is, please, for her sake, inform the police or social services.

"Alternatively, encourage her to seek medical attention as soon as possible," he added.

Busy route

He said that it was a well-used track, and urged people who had noticed anything out of the ordinary to come forward.

"We are asking anyone who may have seen something unusual in the area, and perhaps did not think it was anything untoward at the time, to get in touch."

"This is a tragedy that does not occur very often. We are doing everything we can to get to the bottom of why this happened and talk to the mother and ascertain the circumstances."

Local man Robert Kinaird said he used the cycle path two or three times a week and he knew the route to be a busy one with joggers, dog walkers and cyclists.