Baby's body found in Grimsby house garden drain Published duration 11 February 2016

image caption The house in Scartho Road was taped off after the body of the baby was found

The body of a baby has been found in the drain of a garden at a house in Grimsby.

The body was discovered after a plumber was called by a couple who live in the property, Humberside Police said.

Officers were called to the house in Scartho Road at about 12:50 GMT.

Detectives are trying to establish the age of the baby and how long the body had been in the drain. A post-mortem examination is to take place on Monday.

Det Insp Christine Calvert said both the plumber and occupants of the house were in "extreme shock" following the discovery.

"The occupants of the house had problems with the drains and have been having some drainage work done, which required a plumber to go into the garden and clear some drains," she said.

"Whilst clearing those drains they've found what we believe to be the body of a baby."

image caption Police said the occupants of the house and the plumber did not realise the blockage in the drain was a baby

Ms Calvert said neither the occupants nor the plumber initially realised the blockage in the drain was a baby.

"It's an extreme shock to the occupants, they don't know anything about it," the detective said.

"We've done some house to house inquiries, we're trying to identify where the baby's come from [and] if we can identify the mother. But it's very early stages to identify that child."

Officers remain at the scene.