DETECTIVES hunting a convicted sex offender and his wife, who fled to France after abducting their baby son from social services' care, say there haven't been any sightings of the family.

The search is continuing for sex offender Gerald Baker (pictured), from Brynmawr, his wife Helene and their eight-month-old son, named locally as Nathan, after they disappeared last Monday.

The baby was taken on Monday, August 18, by his mother, 37-year-old Helene Baker, who is from Blaenavon.

She did not return from an hour-long, unsupervised access visit with her son and was reported to the police by social services.

The couple are believed to have taken a ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg on the night they abducted the child and French police and Interpol are now helping with the search for them.

Detective Sergeant Glyn Morvan, from the family support unit in Brynmawr, told the Argus yesterday: "We are continuing our inquiries and we are hoping that we will have a sighting from abroad.

"We are urging people who are going abroad to remain vigilant and to pass on any information."

DS Morvan added that concern for the child was growing, as there had not been any news of sightings of the couple and the baby.

Police have also appealed to Mr and Mrs Baker to bring the child back to this country themselves.

The baby boy had been in the care of social services since he was born just before Christmas last year and was living with foster parents.

His mother was allowed four unsupervised access visits to her baby each week.

Bake, who has seven convictions for sex offences, the last being for an indecent assault on a boy aged under 14, was allowed access on a supervised basis. Police believe he poses a danger to young children.

* Anyone with information about where the couple may be should contact Ebbw Vale Police Station on 01495 350999.