Police are urgently seeking the mother of an eight-month-old baby abandoned for up to four hours at night in bushes in Bradford.

The toddler, who is being treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary, was discovered by a member of the public at 5.30am. His pushchair had been shoved into some bushes close to a pedestrian walkway near to Little Germany.

It is believed he was left on his own for up to four hours.

Police - who know the identity of the mother from property found in the pushchair - say she is a 30-year-old from Fagley, who was last seen pushing the pushchair through the city centre at 1am.

They do not know whether they are investigating a case of child abandonment, or if she has suffered some harm.

Inspector Mark Mulcahy, of Bradford central police, said: "The pushchair was found in some bushes in the Eastbrook Well area. It could have been there three or four hours which is a long time for a child of that age.

"He appears to be healthy and has been taken to hospital to get checked over.

"This inquiry is at an early stage but it is possible it is a case of child abandonment, although we can't discount that some harm has come to the mother, because we have not yet been able to trace her."

Inspector Dave Hodgson added: "It wasn't warm last night, but he was well wrapped up."

The police Child Protection Unit and Bradford Council's social services department were now involved, he added.

"It may have been an enormous cry for help and at the moment our aim is to reunite mum and baby."