A newborn baby abandoned on Boxing Day 61 years ago has issued an appeal to find his birth family.
The Mirror described day-old Harvey Shackell as a “beautiful blue-eyed baby boy” when he was left on a doorstep in a cardboard box in 1960.
Our story, published on December 28 that year told how the infant had been left outside a family home in Hayes, Middlesex.
He was temporarily christened Christopher by nurses at Hillingdon Hospital before he was eventually adopted by his emergency foster parents and renamed.
Now Harvey, 61, a step-dad of two, is hoping to find out more about his mysterious past.
The service engineer is planning to take a DNA test in the hope it can connect him with his long-lost relatives.
Harvey, who was raised by loving adoptive parents in Ruislip, Middlesex, told the Mirror: “My parents have been very loving – I have been very lucky with my family. But I would like to know my roots.
“I don’t know if my birth parents are still around and whether there’s any brothers or sisters. It would just be nice to know.”
He is calling for anyone with information to contact him to help him track down any surviving biological relatives.
“It’s always in the back of your mind and I wonder where I came from and what the circumstances were,” he added.
“I am not one to blame anybody but I would just like to meet people in my blood family.
His journey to find his birth family began after his adoptive mum, now 95, showed him the old Daily Mirror clipping.
In it he learned for the first time he had originally been named Christopher and also that he may have been born on Christmas Day. The grandad has always celebrated his birthday on Christmas Eve.
If you have any information contact christopherfamily60@gmail.com.
