A postman has described the moment he first spotted a cocoon-shape bundle - which turned out to be a swaddled baby - as police have admitted they are no closer to finding the little boy’s mother.

Edward Holton, 36, who works at Hackney Delivery Office, was on morning duty and delivering mail to a vicarage in Sandringham Road in Dalston on January 25.

"I walked down the steps to the basement flat, delivered the letter and then I saw a blanket on the ground, wrapped kind of in a cocoon shape," he recalls.

"There was no noise or movement and I carried on delivering to the rest of the road, but this blanket on the ground was bugging me and playing on my mind more and more."

Edward continued on his rounds but asked his colleague Paul Smith if they could drive back up the road to check on the mysterious bundle again.

"My initial thoughts were that it could be an injured cat perhaps, and I really wanted to have a proper look to make sure," said Edward.

"When we got back to the vicarage, Paul and I walked back down the steps and he pulled back the blanket and there was a very tiny baby wrapped up in it.

"Paul immediately wrapped the baby back up again and took him into our van and turned up the heating to keep him warm, while I ran back up the steps and knocked on the door of the vicarage and the people inside called the emergency services. "They arrived pretty quickly and took the baby into their care."

Edward "felt so relieved" when police rang him later that day to tell him that the baby - who was just 12-hours-old when he found him - 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."

Nearly two weeks on, police officers have not yet been able to trace the baby's mother to ensure she receives medical care and support, but said baby Edward is thriving.

Communications Workers Union secretary Vinnie Micallef from the east London postal branch is considering whether to organise a fundraiser for baby Edward.

"It's happy news that this newborn is in good health and we're proud of our Edward and Paul for what they did," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 101 quoting Cad 3039/25Jan or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 11.