Baby brings midwife early New Year's Day joy

Fern Amber Sowerby was born in the early hours of New Year's Day

A Cumbrian midwife welcomed in 2024 with the unexpected early arrival of her second daughter.

Alex Sowerby, who usually helps deliver babies at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC), gave birth to Fern Amber at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle at 01:22 GMT on 1 January.

The 6lb 13oz bundle of joy just sneaked into the 2024 count, making her debut at 01:22 GMT.

Fern is one of seven babies born on New Year's Day across the NCIC area, where midwives also delivered two Christmas Day babies.

Mrs Sowerby, who lives with husband Carl in Penrith, has been a midwife at NCIC for four years.

She said it was a "bit of a surprise" to be blessed with Fern six weeks ahead of her due date.

The proud mum said of the new arrival, a sister for two-year-old Wren: “She’s perfect."

The second New Year's Day baby to be born at the Cumberland Infirmary was a boy, arriving at 19:00 GMT and weighing 8lb 7oz.

Three boys and two girls were also born on 1 January at West Cumberland hospital.