Gerald Baker and his partner are believed to have left the country

Gerald Baker, 46, who is a registered sex offender and 37-year-old Helene Baker are thought to have fled to France from south Wales with their son who was in the care of social services.

Gwent Police, who are also liaising with Interpol, have discovered that the couple travelled to Salisbury in a red Ford Orion car which they later abandoned and bought a blue Ford Sierra estate, registration number K749 MBP.

They are thought to have crossed the English Channel on a ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg.

Baker who lives at an address in Brynmawr has 26 convictions, seven of them related to sexual offences for which he served various custodial sentences for and police are very concerned for the safety of the child.

The baby's mother, Helene, who lived in Blaenavon near Pontypool, is reported to have collected her son from social services in Ebbw Vale at lunchtime on Monday for a one hour unsupervised visit.

For over four months, Mrs Baker had been allowed unsupervised contact with the baby, who has been living with foster parents, without causing social services any concern.

But on Monday she failed to return him and it is thought she then met up with her husband and fled Wales.

The police were alerted by Blaenau Gwent social services on Monday afternoon.

DI Andrew Bertie and his colleagues are liaising with officers in France

Gwent Police have said they may consider sending police officers out to France as part of the investigation.

Detective Inspector Andrew Bertie said: "We have carried out searches of their homes to try and find any clues top where they may have gone to.

"The officers have been in touch with police in France and our inquiries are on-going.

"We are making an urgent appeal to anyone who knows where they are to come forward," he added.

Social services

A statement from Blaenau Gwent Council revealed how Helene Baker had been allowed unsupervised contact with the baby for four-and-a-half months.

"Initially, contact with her child was supervised, and progressed to unsupervised contact through a considered risk assessment," it read.

Neighbours living near to Baker's house said they were angry that a convicted sex offender had been allowed to move into the street.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: "It's absolutely disgusting that he should be allowed to live here.

"Nobody was told he had sex offences and everyone is really angry about it," she added.

Police are urging anyone with any information about the whereabouts of the couple and the baby to contact detectives at Ebbw Vale on 01495 350999.