A MAJOR search was underway this afternoon after a mum claimed she had dumped her new baby in a Hampshire alleyway.

Scores of officers from Southampton were involved in the huge hunt, which was centred on part of a cemetery in the heart of the city.

The mum, who has called herself Carol, phoned social services a number of times this morning saying she has dumped the child and at first did not say where.

In subsequent calls she told of an alleyway near St Mary's Extra cemetery in Butts Road, Sholing, where police have been deployed ever since.

However there has so far been no trace of the baby who is thought to be either one or two months old.

Thirty officers including specialist search teams are already involved in the operation.

Detectives revealed they had arrested a woman at an address in Southampton.