Police have launched a criminal inquiry after a four-month-old baby boy was found with a dummy taped to his face at a scandal-hit hospital.

Staffordshire Police said they were in the early stages of an investigation into the baby's treatment at Stafford Hospital, which is at the centre of a public inquiry into failings of care.

The trust which runs the hospital has apologised to the family of the baby, who was not injured in the incident.

In a statement issued by the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, its director of nursing and midwifery, Colin Ovington, said: "A member of staff has been suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation.

"We cannot emphasise strongly enough that this incident is exceptional and apologise again to the family."