'Miracle' newborn baby rescued from South African storm drain

A baby is recovering in hospital after workers spent three hours rescuing it from a storm drain in Durban, South Africa.

The newborn, which doctors believe is no more than three-days-old, was freed from the drain on Monday morning after passersby heard her crying.

The moment the child was freed was captured on video and posted on social media.

Bernadette Wicks, a reporter for a local news outlet, said that people had provided doors from their kitchen cupboards to help workers hold back earth as they attempted to remove the baby from the pipe.

Hospital staff hailed the child's survival a "miracle", local media reports.

The baby was found to be suffering from mild hypothermia when she was freed.

Speaking to News24 Durban, Dr Timothy Hardcastle said: "She has been awake, responsive and crying. Her glucose and sugar levels are good."

He added that the child will now be transferred to a different hospital where social services will look after her future welfare.

Photos of the child, posted on social media, show that she is now recovering from the ordeal.

It is not known how the baby got there, or who the mother is.

Last month, Spanish authorities mounted a rescue operation after a child got stuck in a well in the south of the country.