A zoo keeper from Norfolk who was left on the steps of a London church as a baby has been reunited with his mother in an ITV show.

Andy Hallsworth, 57, who works at Banham Zoo, starred in Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace, presented by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell.

The series aims to help those who were abandoned find out about their family.

During the episode, Mr Hallsworth said he knew nothing about the circumstances of his birth and was not even certain when his birthday was.

Eastern Daily Press: Andy Hallsworth with Nwela the serval. Picture: Marc BettsAndy Hallsworth with Nwela the serval. Picture: Marc Betts (Image: Archant)

Series researchers eventually found his birth certificate, which revealed he was born in August 1965, but was kept by his mother until October 22.

When finding out about the certificate, Mr Hallsworth said: "That's amazing, but that means I was with my mum and it means she looked after me for two months.

"You know you think to yourself what was she going through, struggling from the end of August to the end of October and to have given me up, it must have taken a lot."

He later discovered he had seven siblings, and that his mother was still alive in Ireland and wanted to meet him.

Off-camera he met his mother, discovering she was married to his father, who died in 2009, six months into her pregnancy - but fearing rejection at home for conceiving out of wedlock, they left their son at a church.

Discussing the meeting, he said: "When I came to the door we looked in each other's eyes and had a little hug and then we've been talking for the last three hours so it's been great, really nice.

Eastern Daily Press: Presenters Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall.Presenters Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall. (Image: ITV)

"She said it was a terrible feeling what she had done and what she had to do but there was no way she could've come back here with a baby, she would've been banished and outcast, which I completely understand.

"But they had thought about me all through their lives and quietly wondered what had happened and that's really good to know. It was so nice to tell her I had a happy childhood.

"I know why I am the way I am, I've met my mum and I know where I'm from which I didn't know. I couldn't have wished for anything better."