A POIGNANT burial service has been held for a newborn baby whose mother has yet to come forward, 16 months after her body was found in woodland.

Officials from Cleveland Police and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council attended the short service for baby Leah at St Cuthbert’s Church, in Kirkleatham, near Redcar, yesterday, led by the Reverend Malcolm Jackson.

A family who last week buried their young son in the next grave also attended the service. They plan to look after Leah’s grave when they visit the cemetery.

Leah was discovered wrapped in a purple and blue striped towel in Kirkleatham Woods, east Cleveland, by a group of youngsters who were camping nearby.

Repeated appeals have been made for her mother to come forward, with detectives promising the case would be dealt with sensitively.

No one has been in contact, but officers hope the burial will give the mother an opportunity to visit her daughter’s grave.

Detective Constable Andy Himsworth, of Redcar and Cleveland CID, said: “Baby Leah was found in February 2008 by a group of teenagers camping in woodland approximately 300 yards away from here in the quiet village of Kirkleatham.

“We have given her some sort of closure with the burial service, which was wellrespected by the vicar and quite a few people in Kirkleatham.

“We repeat the appeal again for the mother or anyone with any information to come forward and it will be dealt with very sensitively.”

The Rev Jackson said: “The mother must be under an awful amount of stress, anguish and grief. I think it is important we pray for her, as I did at the service.

“We don’t know the full circumstances surrounding the abandonment of baby Leah, but I am sure the mother must have felt she had nowhere to turn and no one to trust.”

A post mortem examination confirmed the baby was born several weeks prematurely and may have been left in the woods for a few days.

Coun Ian Jeffrey, Redcar and Cleveland council cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I think there is hope she might come forward and if she does I hope she will be treated with sympathy and understanding.