THREE months after baby Oliver was found abandoned outside a Newport home, police are continuing their quest to find his mother.

Despite massive publicity just after the little boy was found, his mum has failed to come forward.

Police have been following a number of lines of inquiry but so far without success. The Argus revealed last month the investigation suffered a setback when it was discovered Oliver, given the name by police who found him, was younger than originally believed.

When found he was thought to be around three months old, but this was later amended to 18-21 weeks old.

Checks were being made on babies born between August 1 and October 31, but then his age was re-evaluated by doctors. This meant many more births had to be looked at. Police also eliminated hundreds of the blue and orange checked pushchair Oliver was found in but they faced a complex operation to trace every one.

DI Nick Jarrett, of Gwent Police's family support unit who has led the inquiry, has always stressed that Oliver's mum has no need to feel frightened.

He believed that whoever left the baby had a lot of problems and when she comes forward those can be addressed.

When Oliver was found outside the home of a Newport family on the evening of Sunday, January 20, he was warmly dressed and had obviously been well cared for.

Oliver, who is being cared for by foster parents, was made the subject of a court order brought by Newport social services.

Oliver is one of an estimated 50 babies left by their parents every year. In many cases, the mothers come forward to claim their babies but in some the children are eventually put up for adoption.

While technically abandonment is an imprisonable offence, mothers who do come forward are offered support and can even be reunited with their child.

Anyone with information which might help the police trace Oliver's family is asked to call them in confidence on 01633 244999.