Bishop Auckland baby garroted and hidden beneath floor

Image caption, Well-wishers have left toys at Baby Auckland's grave in the Town Cemetery

A baby found beneath floorboards and wrapped in a 1910 newspaper was probably garroted shortly after birth, a coroner has said.

The skeleton of the full-term boy was discovered during the renovation of a building on Bishop Auckland's Fore Bondgate in July 2024.

A piece of twine wrapped around his neck raised suspicions for detectives, County Durham and Darlington Coroner Crispin Oliver heard.

After concluding it was most likely a homicide, Oliver said it was a "very sad and singular case". The boy, named Baby Auckland by authorities, has been buried in Bishop Auckland Town Cemetery .

His date of death was listed as 29 July 2024, the day he was discovered.