DETECTIVES investigating the dead baby found in the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal believe the mother did not go through the stillbirth on her own.

Yesterday the Argus revealed that forensic tests proved that the baby boy was stillborn.

The 5lb 6oz baby was discovered by Robert Chiles on October 11 in a green Lee holdall semi-submerged in the canal near Newbridge.

Despite numerous appeals for the mother to get in touch police are still no closer to tracing her.

Detective Inspector Rhiannon Hodges said: "We would like her or anybody who knows anything about it to come forward, as she can't have gone through this alone.

"We are still following a number of lines of inquiry, and people are still coming forward with information.

"We are saying to the mother that the most likely scenario is that this baby was stillborn, and we are not looking at a murder inquiry."

She added that police are still awaiting more forensic test results from the green holdall in which the baby was found.

Police are also still appealing for the following people to get in touch with them:

* Two young girls seen in the area where the body was discovered, at set times over a number of days nine weeks ago. One girl was blonde, in her mid-teens and extremely upset.

* Two people on October 9 between 8.30am and 9.00am at a bus stop opposite Newbridge Comprehensive School.

A girl aged 15-18, who was very distressed. She has shoulder-length brown hair, is of medium build and was wearing blue jeans and a blue padded jacket.

Also at 10pm a youth aged 15-16 was seen comforting a teenage girl on the kerbside between Trecelyn roundabout and High Meadow.

The girl is described as 5ft 6in tall, of slim build, with collar-length blonde hair. The youth is 5ft 8in tall with dark collar-length hair.

Anyone with information should call Caerphilly police on 02920 852999.