AS MOST people were nursing hangovers, Basingstoke couple Susanna and Jon were welcoming their first child into the world following a lengthy labour.

Eliza Ruth Brown arrived at Basingstoke hospital at 11.47pm as one of six babies born at the hospital on New Year's Day to new parents Susanna and Jon Brown.

The 6lb 12oz new born was delivered after her 27-year-old mother was induced early on Wednesday, December 30 because of a liver disorder which could have caused complications.

Susanna, an occupational therapist, said: "I thought it would be so cool for her to be born on New Year's Day. I thought she would enjoy having her birthday then. We thought it would be more fun to have a January birthday than December. There's something special about New Year's Day so we wanted to make it before midnight.

"I started pushing at 10.20pm and it was 11.45pm and I thought 'come on'. The whole group of midwives were cheering me on! There was lots of encouragement."

Eliza just made it with 13 minutes to spare, making it a very special start to the New Year for her proud parents.

Another baby to arrive on New Year's Day was James Oliver Harrup who was born to parents Laura and Oliver, from Sherfield-on-Loddon.

Coincidentally, James' will now share his birthday with his paternal aunt Hannah Harrup, who also featured in The Gazette when she arrived at Basingstoke hospital on New Year's Day 27 years ago.

Laura, 34, who works for Axa Wealth, and her husband Oliver, 30, were delighted to meet their first child when he arrived at 5.20pm weighing 7lb 10oz.

Laura said: "James will be excited to share his birthday with his aunt. I thought he would come before Christmas or he would come in early January. I didn't think it would be so close to my due date of December 28. But he decided to make his arrival in between."

It was a busy day for the team at Basingstoke hospital's maternity ward on New Year's Day, with the first baby arriving at 4.37am.

Four boys and two girls were delivered in total - slightly less than the eight which arrived at the Aldermaston Road hospital last year.