THE tragic baby whose body was found dumped in a canal five months ago will now be laid to rest next week.

And Robert Chiles, 53, who made the grisly discovery, hopes the funeral will help him get over the nightmare that has haunted him ever since.

Yesterday, an inquest was held at Newport into the baby's death. It means the unidentified child, found in a bag in the canal at Newbridge, can be buried by Caerphilly council.

The authority says the funeral details have not yet been finalised, but the burial will be held at Abercarn cemetery.

Mr Chiles said last night: "I am still very distraught about it and I can start crying at any given moment.

"It was such a terrible thing to discover and I screamed when I saw his chubby little hand. "Going to the funeral will be a form of therapy for me...I think all he would have wanted was a cwtch."

Gwent coroner David Bowen said yesterday: "This is one of, if not the most, distressing death ever reported to me.

"I can't escape the fact that this baby's small body was discarded like an unwanted rag doll and not even afforded a proper burial. I find this abhorrent." After recording an open verdict Mr Bowen said: "At least now he will have the dignity of a funeral."

Detective Inspector Rhiannon Hodges, of Gwent Police, vowed that the police would never close their file in the baby case.