THOUGH she did not live to meet them, hundreds of mourners compelled by a shared grief attended a moving funeral for baby Raihana yesterday.

The unknown baby girl, who was found dead on a footpath in Marston in February, was buried at Wolvercote Cemetery in front of a 200-strong solemn crowd.

Detective Inspector Jim Holmes, who led the eight-month investigation to find the girl’s mother, made an emotional promise at her graveside.

He said: “For someone who had lived for such a short time you have touched the hearts and minds of so many people across the county and indeed the country.

“You have left an indelible mark.

“No matter how small the lead, we will keep trying to find your mother - that’s my promise to you Raihana.”

The girl was found by a member of the public off Edgeway Road, Marston.

Police exhausted all lines of enquiry after several appeals for the mother to come forward proved fruitless.

An inquest in August found the unknown baby girl was stillborn and the force subsequently named her Raihana after DNA results showed she may be of South East Asian descent.

Mourners from across Oxfordshire - and further afield - crowded the graveside as a humanist, non-religious service was held.

British Humanist celebrant Pat Winslow, leading the ceremony, said: “It is out of humanity which has brought us together today.

“We are deeply connected to Raihana, she is one of us, she is one of our community.

“She never saw the birds, she never saw the blossom but we are giving her a home here in our hearts.

The Witney woman formally named the girl before adding: “This is rather wonderful to see so many people today - it shows we are capable of incredible human kindness, we always have been and we always will be.”

The state funeral was put on by Oxford City Council, which has a statutory duty to bury those without a next of kin, Thames Valley Police and parent bereavement charity Oxfordshire Sands.

Erica Stewart from the charity said: “When a baby dies it is so devastating, it was amazing that the community chose to come to the funeral.”

Sarah Montrose, from Bicester, attended the service with her 18-month-old son Alex.

She said: “I just didn’t like the idea she would be buried on her own.

“It’s so nice that so many people were touched by her story.”