POLICE are searching for a couple who abandoned a baby boy in the centre of Gillingham. Before leaving the child in his buggy the pair were seen arguing.

The baby, named Charlie by detectives and believed to be about four months old, was found unharmed. A moped rider, waiting at traffic lights near the High Street yesterday, watched in horror as the man dumped the pushchair and walked away with a younger woman running after him.

The baby, recovered from his three-wheel buggy crying and wearing just a Babygro, was taken into the nearby Kwik-Fit tyre store in Jeffery Street to keep warm. Today he was being looked after by foster parents in Strood.

A police spokesman described him as "a jolly little chap" who was feeding and sleeping well, unaware of the ordeal.

The woman, in her early 20s and of Gothic appearance, was heard to cry after the scruffy-looking man: "You can't leave your baby" as he turned the corner into Jeffery Street and walked towards the railway station

Police believe she may not be the child's mother, and are anxious to talk to his natural mum.

When the lights changed the moped rider followed the couple into a car park leading to the High Street. As he caught up with the woman, she told him: "It's his baby. I've got to get him." When they walked off, the witness returned to the baby, and took him into the store while he called the police.

Detectives are keen to speak to other drivers who had stopped at the lights, and also to a young woman who walked past the buggy at about 3.30pm.

Attached to the buggy was a bag with a change of clothes, a bottle, some powdered milk, and two photographs of the baby with an older couple and an older man.

Police stress these are not the couple who abandoned the baby but would like them to come forward to help with their investigation.

Det Insp Steve McIntosh said: "The baby's welfare is of paramount importance to us. We would ask anyone who recognises the baby or anyone who saw the incident to contact us."

The man is aged about 25 to 26, 6ft tall, skinny, with mousy brown hair, growing out and slightly curly on top. He was wearing black faded jeans, a dirty long-sleeved, oversized, untucked tan shirt, and white trainers.

The woman was aged about 21, 5ft 10ins tall, skinny with black bobbed hair, and a purple stud on her bottom lip. She was wearing a black jacket, black leggings, black shoes and black lipstick.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Medway Police on 01634 884158.