A woman has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her child, who found in a woodland close to a theme park more than a quarter of a century ago.

Joanne Sharkey, 54, denied murdering her child, whose remains were discovered close to the Gulliver’s World theme park in Warrington, Cheshire, on 14 March 1998.

As well as pleading guilty to manslaughter through diminished responsibility at Liverpool Crown Court, she also entered a guilty plea to endeavouring to conceal the birth of a child.

Sharkey is due to be sentenced on 21 March.

After the baby, who has never been formally identified, was found in March 1998, local people arranged a burial and a funeral service was held.