DETECTIVES say they now have concrete DNA evidence which could lead to a 20-year-old murder investigation being cracked.

The charred and mutilated body of a baby boy was found by a council worker on the Redhills tip in Millom on December 1, 1989.

No one has ever been arrested in connection with the death of the child, known locally as the “Millom tip baby”.

But, on the 20th anniversary of the grim  discovery today, investigating office Detective Inspector Doug Marshall said: “Over the last few months we have been carrying out further forensic work on the case and we now have irrefutable DNA evidence which will be crucial to solving this case.

“It will allow us to easily eliminate people from our enquiries so if anyone thinks they know someone who was in some way involved, please get in touch as a quick mouth swab can rule them out of the enquiry and put your mind at rest.”

The detective leads the major investigation team, which was set up in May.

The team has responsibility for all major crime in the county, as well as cold cases such as the tip baby investigation.

The case has always been treated as a murder by police but in May, the then investigating office Detective Chief Superintendent Iain

Goulding told reporters the death may have been a tragic accident.

Millom mayor, Councillor Joan Hobbs said: “It is a sad anniversary. I can’t believe it is 20 years ago. I was the district midwife at the time and it was awful.

“It is particularly sad that it comes at a time when people are thinking happy thoughts in the run up to Christmas.”

When Millom tip workman Mike Gilbert made the discovery he thought he had found the broken remains of a child’s plastic doll.

The Haverigg man, who died in the mid 90s, went to investigate and was shocked to discover the badly burnt body of a baby boy, aged between a year and 18 months old.

Both of the child’s legs had been severed.

Police traced 6,000 young boys aged between a year and 18 months old across the county starting in Millom, then on to Askam, Dalton, Ulverston, Barrow and beyond.

Despite no stone being left unturned the child’s death and who he was still remains a mystery.

Anyone with information should contact police on 0845 3300247.