A NEWBORN baby is believed to have become the borough's youngest library member - at the age of just two days.

Hannah Toogood-Johnson was made a member of the library at the Gill Nethercott Centre, in Whitchurch, last month.

Having been born at Basingstoke hospital on July 19, the tot lay fast asleep as mother, Michelle, 38, filled out a registration form and was given her baby's first library card.

Mrs Toogood-Johnson, of Winchester Road, Whitchurch, wasted no time in introducing her daughter to the library's wide range of baby books and showed her a "high-contrast" book.

She said: "They have lovely facilities here and my husband Ian and I just thought it would be nice to get Hannah signed up.

"Some people may say she's too young, but the books are specially designed with simple black and white shapes for youngsters.

"We signed her brother Alex up when he was 10 days old and we thought he might be the youngest member then, but this beats even that."

Wendy Sperry, library supervisor, said: "We were shocked when they came in wanting to sign up their two-day-old daughter.

"The father said he had grown up with books and felt it was important for children to read, and it's true.

"Although little Hannah won't be able to read just yet, she will be able to make out basic shapes and pictures and our stock has a lot of baby books."

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said records could not show whether Hannah is the borough's youngest library member, but, as far as they were aware, there was no one younger.