The new millennium got off to a great start for new mums across Essex.

Veronica Mead, 38, gave birth to her first baby Georgina at Colchester General Hospital at 2.45am on New Year's Day.

Mrs Mead, who lives with her husband Alan in Coggeshall Road, Kelvedon, said she had been exercising at the gym as late as Thursday.

And 24 hours later was on her way to the maternity unit. The newborn weighed in at 6lb 14oz.

The Wicks family of Swallowdale, Old Heath, Colchester, are celebrating the birth of their sixth son.

Little Blake Jordan was born at 9.47am, weighing in at 7lb 6oz.

Mother Susan had a ceasarian birth watched on by father Leslie at Colchester General Hospital.

Little Timothy Gabriel Smith was born at 8.07am at Colchester General Hospital, and weighed 8lb 5oz.

He was the third child for Maire and Adrian, from Turner Avenue, Lawford.

The baby had been due on January 1, so all the family spent a quiet New Year's Eve watching the celebrations on television before Mrs Smith went into hospital.

The new millennium got off to the perfect start for parents Samantha Balfour and Tom Dawson with a baby boy.

Ronnie was born at 11am on New Year's Day at Clacton Maternity Unit, weighing 8lbs 14oz.

The couple, who live in Belsize Avenue, Jaywick, were delighted with their new arrival and said it was a great way to celebrate the New Year.

Ronnie was delivered by midwife Betty Groves who also delivered Lewis Long, who was born in the unit on Christmas Day.

Samantha and Alex McEwan of De Vere Road, Earls Colne, celebrated the birth of baby Levi Jordan Gerald at 11.02am at Colchester General Hospital.

It wasn't until 3.55am that the first child was born at St John's Hospital, Chelmsford - a bouncing baby girl, Bethany Florence August weighed in at 6lbs.

Stephen and Christina August, of Pollards Green, Chelmsford, were delighted with Bethany who is their first baby.

Shah and Roksama Parvin Alam, of D'Arcy Road, Maldon, had a little girl of 7lbs born at 6.30am. Roksama and her daughter are pictured on our front page.

Chelmsford couple, Paul and Suzanne Douglas from the Green, got a belated Christmas present, Matthew Steven, who arrived at 7.33am and weighed 7lbs 10ozs.

Daniel Derek Russell made his entrance just minutes later at 7.46am, weighing 8lbs 3ozs.

His parents, Neil and Angela Russell, of Terling, said being born on New Year's Day made him "a bit special".

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