A WOMAN called police to her High Wycombe home after finding a ‘foetus’ on her balcony – which later turned out to be a children’s toy.

Officers raced to Queens Road after the concerned woman made the discovery on her balcony at 9.30am last Thursday, police revealed.

Criminal investigators moved to preserve the scene and examine the ‘human foetus’ before it was identified as a “convincing” rubber toy, which was seized.

Chief Inspector Colin Seaton, Wycombe’s Deputy Area Commander, said: “The death of a baby is especially sad and so placing a toy of a fake foetus in a public area is a sick joke to play.

“Not only can this be particularly distressing to people, as we have seen, it can also cause the police to waste their time in initiating an investigation.

“Wasting police time is a criminal offence and I strongly suggest people think about the effect of the actions, not only on other people but also on themselves.

"A criminal record can have life-changing consequences.”

The small brown rubber toy appears to be an alien curled into the foetal position.

Police are keeping an open mind about whether the placement of the toy was part of a cruel prank or whether a child had simply dropped it.

DS Richard Earl said it was one of the most unusual call-outs he received as a police officer but said the woman did the right thing by dialling 999.

He moved to warn residents that foetus-like toys were common and urged parents of children who own such toys to be careful where they are used.

DS Earl said: “The woman was very helpful and concerned, as you would be if you thought you had found a foetus on your balcony.

“I would like to make the public aware that there is a toy, which is quite common, that looks like a convincing human foetus.

“I would urge parents to ensure these toys are kept secure and not left in public places, as they can cause distress.”

It is not the first time a rubber toy has sparked a police response after being mistaken for a foetus.

A man in County Durham found an alien toy in his garden in 2004, while a London Underground passenger spotted a similar toy on the platform in 1999.