Family's delight at welcoming baby into world on New Year's Day

Parents Danni and Glenn Barney were delighted with the arrival of Noah, who was born at 6.02am at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

The occasion was made all the more poignant by the reality the little boy was just one of a handful of babies to be born on New Year's Day at the hospital in what was an unusually quiet first day of the year.

Noah was born weighing 7lbs 2.0oz following four hours of labour after Danni, 33, and Glenn, 32, arrived at the maternity department at 2.20am.

Although the labour was relatively quick, Danni told The News she was exhausted after the gruelling ordeal but delighted to have their second child '“ with them now having a younger brother for their four old daughter Esme.

Lying in her bed after giving birth just a few hours earlier, Danni said: '˜I feel rough. It was a four hour labour but it felt like so much longer. It's really exciting to have a baby born on New Year's Day. Noah was due on January 5 but we thought he may come early.'

Danni added: '˜Our daughter Esme is very excited about having a little brother. We're really pleased to now have a boy and a girl.'

Glenn said: '˜I thought Noah would be born on this day, I just had a feeling even though it was five days earlier than he was due.'

Speaking of Noah's progress following his birth, Glenn continued: '˜He's doing fine and has just been sleeping a lot. The birth was harder for Danni than Noah with her suffering some complications so I'm just glad they're both ok.'

Despite giving birth on New Year's Day, Danni said she plans on leaving hospital with her new baby as soon as possible. '˜I hope to go home tomorrow (January 2),' she said.

Midwife Sonia Bowen, who was on duty for the New Year's Day babies, said: '˜It's a special day for a baby to be born. We've probably not had as many births as normal would but you just never know how many are going to be born on a day.'