A Chinese mother has been accused of abandoning her baby in a rubbish bin next to a hospital.

The woman is said to have thrown away the child whose umbilical cord was still attached to him yesterday in eastern China's Jiangsu Province.

The boy was reportedly rescued by a passer-by and is being looked after by a hospital in the city of Huai'an.

Surveillance footage purports to show the woman putting her newborn son into a blue bin before slowly leaving the site in China. It shows her looking back to the bins a few times

The incident took place in the wee hours on Shenzhen Road next to the People's Hospital in the county of Lianshui, according to Lianshui Hot Line.

Surveillance footage purports to show the woman standing in front of a row of bins on the side of a street before stuffing an identified item into one of them.

The clip then shows her leaving the site slowly, but not before casting a few last looks towards the plastic containers.

According to online accounts, the baby was rescued after being found by an elderly woman. The child was taken to the hospital next to the bins and doctors found him to be healthy

Eventually she walks away from the scene while holding some items in her right hand.

The video then shows one passer-by taking a bag out of the bin, watched by a companion.

According to online accounts, the deserted boy was rescued by an elderly woman who happened to pass the bins.

The child was allegedly taken to the People's Hospital in Lianshui and found to be healthy.

He remains under the care of the hospital, it is claimed.

According to the Chinese criminal law, parents who abandon their minors could face up to five years in prison.

The police have not commented on the matter as of writing.