LITTLE Jasmine Quinlan has made history - by becoming the first baby in Bolton to have her birth registered online.

The tot, who was two weeks old when her name was logged in, now has her details stored electronically rather than in a paper file and her birth certificate is a print-out, not handwritten.

Her delighted parents, James Quinlan and Selina Howell, are thrilled their daughter is the first baby in Bolton to be registered on the new system.

Mr Quinlan, aged 27, of Litherland Road, Great Lever, said: "It makes her even more special than she already is, and she's pretty special already."

Jasmine, who has two half sisters, Courtney Whittaker, aged 10 and Megan Whittaker, aged nine, was born on March 13, in the Royal Bolton Hospital, weighing 6lbs 8oz.

The Office for National Statistics has begun the huge process of transferring all the records for births, marriages and deaths on to computers.

The electronic index for the majority of birth and deaths registrations from between 1837, when records started, to 1958, is expected to be available to view on the internet in early 2008.

All births, marriages and deaths will now be registered electronically although people still need to go to the register office.

Bolton Council runs the register office at Mere Hall and a spokesman said: "The new system is a positive step towards the future. It will enable services to be more integrated.

"Although it is sad to see an end to the registrar entering the child's details in a register with a fountain pen, the new system is more in line with life today."