Postman described how he discovered tiny newborn baby Edward wrapped in blanket on London doorstep

A postman today told how he found a newborn boy on a doorstep in Hackney. 

Edward Holton, 36, was on duty when he spotted a blanket “wrapped in a cocoon” shape outside a vicarage in Sandringham Road on Saturday.

He carried on delivering post in the street but the blanket was “playing on my mind” so he and colleague Paul Smith drove back to check. “Paul pulled back the blanket and there was a very tiny baby wrapped up in it,” he said.

The pair took him into the van to keep him warm. Mr Holton knocked on the door of the vicarage and emergency services were called.

Edward says that he “felt so relieved” when police rang him later that day to tell him that the baby – less than a day old – was healthy and doing well.

“And the officer also told me that hospital staff had asked for my name and that they had named the baby Edward after me – as the person who found him”, he said.

“What I’m hoping for so much now is that the mother will come forward or be found – she must need help and it’s a worry when you think of what her circumstances must have been.”

Local Communication Worker’s Union (CWU) branch secretary Vinnie Micallef (East London Postal) says that he and the other local Royal Mail workers are “all really pleased that baby Edward is OK.

“It’s happy news that this newborn is in good health and we’re proud of our Edward and Paul for what they did.

“We’re now thinking about whether we could maybe do some kind of fundraiser to help.”

Police have appealed for baby Edward’s mother to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Andy Barry said the mother’s wellbeing is his main concern.

He said: “She is our primary concern now. As a father myself I know how daunting it can be to be a parent, you’re presented with this life and you have to suddenly care for it.

“Because he was six or 12 hours old when he was found and it didn’t appear to have been a hospital birth, we have concerns for her emotional wellbeing, her health, to make sure she’s looked after.”

Appealing to the mother directly, he added: “Contact us, we’re here to help you. We’re not here to put you in any form of trouble at all, we want to make sure that you are OK, your health and wellbeing is our primary concern.

“To anyone who may know Edward’s mother, I’d urge you to come forward and help me locate her – this can be done in confidence.”