A SHORT New Year break in North Wales with a climbing club sent Georgina Dearden into labour.

Georgina, aged 30, and husband Adrian, aged 38, of Seaford Road, Harwood, were walking on the beach when Georgina suddenly realised her second child was on the way.

They wanted the baby to be born in Bolton, so they set off at 2.30am on New Year's Day from North Wales, arrived at the Royal Bolton Hospital at 5am and became proud parents to Cara Elisabeth at 7.55am, weighing 7lbs 9ozs.

"I turned up at the maternity unit in my hiking boots and a fleece. I didn't have an overnight bag, my notes or even a babygrow outfit," said Georgina. "Adrian had to go home for them afterwards. We were not expecting this at all."

The couple already have a four-year-old son, Leo, and Georgina said: "I was overdue by 10 days with Leo, so I thought this one wouldn't arrive for a little while yet! I just couldn't believe it.

"It's a good job Adrian had decided not to have a drink on New Year's Eve.

"We were going to come home the day before, but decided to stay another night. Luckily, it wasn't snowing in North Wales so we had no problem getting back to Bolton."

Cara was not the first baby to arrive in Bolton on New Year's Day.

While partygoers were dancing their way into the New Year, new mum Lisa Bevan was giving birth to Caitlyn Ellie, the first baby of 2004 to be born at the Royal Bolton Hospital, at 2.45am.

Weighing 7lbs 13ozs, Caitlyn arrived with dad Adam Broughton, aged 22, by Lisa's side. The couple, of Thorpe Street, Halliwell, had arrived at the maternity unit at 2.30pm the day before.

Lisa, aged 23, said: "Someone popped into the delivery suite and said if I gave birth in the next few hours, Caitlyn would be the first one of the year. I didn't think she would be the first because it was after 2am. She was eight days overdue, so I knew she had to come soon."

The next arrivals were: Leah Julie Green, the daughter of Louise Newton and Darren Green of Hulton Lane, Bolton, who arrived at 12.21pm weighing 7lbs 3ozs.

Evan James Ward, weighing 6lbs 7ozs, arrived at 1.20pm. Evan is the son of Angela Livesey and Matthew Ward, of Horwich.

Then came Lewis Wilton, the son of Catherine, weighing 5lbs 5ozs at 4.25pm; Georgia, daughter of Jane Kearsley, weighing 7lbs 9ozs at 9.14pm; Abigail, the daughter of Rebecca Moss, weighing 7lbs 3ozs at 11.52pm; and, just in time for New Year's Day, George, the son of Elona Edmonds. George weighed 6lbs 12 ozs at 11.59pm.