A BABY who arrived nine weeks early and another who came two weeks late were among tots born on New Year's Day.
Oswaldtwistle baby Jack Yates, weighing eight pounds 12 ounces, was the first baby born at the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Monday, putting in an early appearance at 12.30am.
Proud parents Gail, 27, and Alan, 52, of Three Brooks Way, were expecting Jack on 17 December but he arrived on New Year's Day to the delight of his parents and sister Chloe, six.
Self-employed Alan said: "It's great having a baby born on New Year's Day.
"But there was no time to celebrate. It was around midnight when Jack started to arrive and I was so busy watching him that I didn't realise it was 2007.
"His sister Chloe is loving having a younger brother and it's great having a son whose picture is appearing in the paper. If he'd have arrived on time he wouldn't have had all the fame."
While Jack hung on for New Year's Day, baby Bailey Andrew Holden arrived nine weeks earlier than expected.
Surprised parents Joanne Leech, 32, and Andrew Holden, of New Lane, Oswaldtwistle, welcomed Bailey into the world at around 3.45pm, weighing just under four pounds.
Joanne, who works as a children's nurse at Pendlebury Hospital, Manchester, said Bailey was happy and healthy but was being monitored in intensive care until he puts on more weight over the coming weeks.
Joanne said: "I was told to expect him a bit early but we weren't expecting him this early when my waters broke on Friday.
"I should be able to go home in a few days and hopefully Bailey can come home in the next five to six weeks."
Another Hyndburn mum, Nicola Tattersall of Clayton Way, Altham West, gave birth to Thomas Jordan at 11.38am. She weighed nine pounds seven ounces.
