A teenage boy who spotted what is believed to be a human placenta on his way to school has been praised by his proud mum for raising the alarm.

The sad discovery sparked a major search for a missing mum and her newborn baby.

Jamie Clarke found the remains along with two school mates on Wednesday morning on the path off Dale Road along Holly Brook.

The Year 9 Upper Shirley High School pupil was on his way to school.

READ MORE: Search continues for missing mum and newborn baby

Speaking to the Echo, the 15-year-old said: “I was going down the path to meet my mate. We saw a football by the bush and went to get it and when we were coming back to the road, that’s when I saw it.

“At first I thought it was a bit of an animal but when we saw it, it didn’t look like an animal. It just didn’t look like it, it was too big so we decided to call the police.”

Daily Echo: Police presence after a human placenta was found in the Holly Brook areaPolice presence after a human placenta was found in the Holly Brook area (Image: Newsquest)

Officers arrived at the scene in under ten minutes and cordoned off the area.

He said: “The police asked if there was any fur on it, but there was nothing.

“Some of us were standing near the roundabout and making sure there wasn’t anyone taking pictures or seeing it.

“Other police came, and we showed them and that’s when they said they would take over.”

His mum, Kerry Metcalf, 39, said she is very proud of her son's actions. 

She said: “From my point of view he did the right thing, he wasn’t scared and I’m very proud of him and hope that this will help the mother get the help that she needs.

“These were three lads who didn’t really know what it was but did the right thing. You don’t get many 15-year-olds that would do that and I like to think what he did will help the mother.”

She added: “As a mother you think there is a mother out there who did that because she didn’t have the help she needed. It’s heartbreaking.”