A WOMAN has been arrested after a human placenta was discovered in a walkway in Southampton.

The remains were found off Dale Road in a wooded path on Wednesday, June 21, sparking a major police search for the mother and her newborn.

Today, police have confirmed that a week ago, on Monday, July 3, officers arrested a 30-year-old woman on suspicion of concealing the birth of a child.

READ MORE: Everything we know after human placenta found in Southampton

After officers questioned her, the woman was eventually released with no further action to be taken against her.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson said: "Our priority remains locating the mother who has recently given birth, and the baby, to make sure they are safe and have any medical help they need."

The discovery was made by a 15-year-old boy at around 8.47am on Wednesday, June 21 and within 24 hours, Southampton Chief Inspector Marcus Kennedy issued an appeal for the mother of the baby to come forward and search and rescue teams scoured the area searching for any clues which might lead to their discovery.

Responding to news of the arrest, CI Kennedy said: “As we hope people will appreciate, this is a challenging set of circumstances, and our priority remains ensuring the welfare of the mother and baby involved.

“We know that the news of this discovery will have been concerning for many of those within the local community and we want to reassure you that our officers are trained to deal with sensitive incidents such as this one, which can often be very complex, and we will do what is needed to get the right outcome for all those involved.

“In this particular case, an arrest was considered necessary and proportionate in order to help us gain vital information to be able to progress our enquiries, and ensure the safety and wellbeing of the individuals involved.

“Throughout the course of our enquires we have received a significant amount of information via various methods including DNA testing, eyewitness accounts and reports phoned into us by members of the public.

READ MORE: Police confirm what 'human placenta' found by Southampton park is

"Officers are continuously piecing all of this together in order to establish what has happened and we are required to act quickly based on the information available to us at any one time, where we feel there is a real possibility that the wellbeing of an individual is at risk.

“We have a dedicated team who are still working to establish the exact circumstances of what has taken place.

"While we know that many of you will have questions, we hope that you will understand that we are not in a position to provide any further details while our enquiries continue.”

The police have also reiterated the message of their appeal: that anyone with information about this incident can call 101, quoting Operation Holdo or the reference number 44230246419.

They can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or you submit information through the police's online portal by going to https://mipp.police.uk/operation/44HC23W03-PO1