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FOUNDLINGS - ABANDONED AT BIRTH

FOUNDLINGS | Shirley Stocks was abandoned at birth in this phone box

Abandoned at birth... find out how one child left in a phone box tried to track down the mother who discarded her in a phone box in County Durham.

Imagine being abandoned in the street as a baby by your own mother. It's a terrible way to come into this world, but for many abandoned newborn babies, it's a stark reality.

Shirley Stocks is a 'foundling' - she was abandoned as a baby in a phone box in Darlington more than 50 years ago.

Despite massive publicity at the time, her mother never came forward. It's something that has haunted Shirley for her whole life. Now she's trying to track down the mother who left her.

Abandoned in a phone box

Shirley Stocks is a 51 year old grandmother, but part of her identity is missing. The only records of her early life are a few newspaper cuttings.

Shirley Stocks wants to know the answers to many questions about her mum

After Shirley was abandoned as a child, she was transferred to Greenbank Maternity Hospital in Darlington.

After that, she was taken into foster care, and was later adopted.

Shirley always knew she was an adopted child, but it was only after a routine medical check six years ago that she discovered that there were no records of her parents.

The search for her real mum began in earnest.

Where are you mum?

For Shirley Stocks, tracing the mother who discarded her opens up deep wounds. It's an emotional journey that will take her back to the telephone box where she was left as a baby - the only clue to a 50 year mystery.

Will DNA tests help to establish the identity of Shirley's real mum?

"It's strange. I still get this picture of her putting me there and sort of sneaking away into the early hours of the morning," says Shirley.

Shirley has tried to trace her mum by sticking posters in the area where she was left all those years ago.

Her hopes were raised when a woman called Lynn came forward, suggesting that they might be half sisters.

Both women decided to undertake a DNA test to establish beyond doubt whether they could have shared the same mum. Although Lynn's mother is now dead, Shirley is very hopeful that the test might solve the mystery.

"If it's negative, I'm back to square one. It's been a long and emotional journey," says Shirley.

Foundlings

Shirley isn't alone. About 60 babies are abandoned by their mums every year in the UK, and the figures are rising.

Many mothers are never traced, leaving their offspring with no name, no parents and no knowledge of their parents.

So why do so many mothers feel unable to cope with their newly born babies?

Some psychiatrists believe that young mothers can become overwhelmed by the presence of something that they denied for nine months.

When the baby is born, the distressed mother can lose contact with reality for a brief period of time, and may abandon her child.

Shirley isn't angry with her real mum for what abandoning her. despite the heartache it's caused her.

"I've never felt angry, that's the strange part of it," says Shirley.

"I just get this gut feeling that she was a very frightened girl."

"She must have been going through quite a lot of different emotions when she did it."

Help to find the mystery mum ...

Do you remember Brinkburn Road in Darlington where Shirley Stocks was abandoned in 1951?

Perhaps you can remember a pregnant woman who lived in the area who might have given up her child? Could it have been Shirley?

Maybe you are Shirley's real mum, and you'd like to meet your daughter?

If you think you may have information which could help to trace Shirley Stocks' mother, email Inside Out using the form below.

Watch out for updates on the DNA results and the search for Shirley's mum on the Inside Out website.