PROUD mum Amanda Lunt welcomed the New Year by giving birth to her fourth son - just seconds after the clocks struck midnight.

Her 6lb 7oz little bundle of joy, who has not yet been named, was the first baby to be born at Burnley General Hospital on New Year's Day - and was probably the first newborn child in the UK to greet 1999.

Staff in the maternity unit officially "clocked" his birth at one minute past midnight.

They were in the middle of wishing each other "Happy New Year" when the baby boy decided to join in the celebrations and become a New Year's Day arrival. The baby was not due to arrive until tomorrow.

Amanda, who works in the United newsagents in the hospital, said she and dad Lee were delighted at the new addition to their family. He joins brothers Aaron, seven, Danny, six, and three-year-old Robbie.

"We're now aiming for a football team," joked Amanda.

"The boys wanted another brother. They didn't want a girl around the house but I wasn't bothered either way.

"He's a lovely little boy, but he kept me up on his first night and wouldn't go to sleep. He obviously wanted to know what was going on."

Amanda and her son were due to go home yesterday to introduce the latest arrival to the rest of the family.

New Year's Day was a relatively quiet for maternity staff compared to Christmas Day. Only one more baby had been born by yesterday tea-time compared to ten on Christmas Day.

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