For six months couple thought they were going to have a girl

Amanda Holt gave birth to a bouncing baby boy - much to her great surprise - on New Year's Day at Billinge Hospital.

During her pregnancy Amanda and partner Carl Buckley were told the baby was a girl and were given a due date of December 23.

The couple had even chosen the name Olivia for their New Year baby and relatives and friends had showered them with clothes for a little girl.

But Amanda and Carl, both 24, say they do not mind in the slightest and are delighted with their new baby son.

Amanda, of Emerald Avenue, said: "We went for our second scan and we asked if they could tell us if it was a boy or a girl. They said they couldn't see any boy parts so it must be a girl. We've been telling everybody it's a girl for the past six months!"

When Amanda, a careworker, went into labour on New Year's Day she still thought she was having a girl and it was only when she gave birth to an eight pound eight ounce little boy at 12 minutes past three in the afternoon that she finally discovered the truth.

Amanda said: "All I remember is my mum shouting "it's a boy it's a boy'. She couldn't believe it. None of us could.

"When I saw the baby I just fell in love with him. I didn't mind sat all that I didn't have a girl."

Nameless

Because Carl and Amanda thought they were having a daughter they had not thought about boy's names and their new baby is as yet nameless.

Carl originally thought about naming him McKenzie but on second thoughts the couple have decided to think of another name.

But one member of the family who is particularly pleased the baby was a boy is the couple's four-year-old son Dylan who was desperate for a brother to play with.

Carl said: "Dylan kept on saying he wanted a boy. He said girls' wouldn't play in dirt so he wanted a boy."

Carl added that another good thing was that they would not have to split the bedrooms or move house now they had two boys.

Amanda added : "We are over the moon with the new baby."