Meet Shropshire's newest residents - say hello to the New Year's Day babies

Little Timothy was one of seven babies born at the county's two main hospitals right at the start of 2015.

From 10 days late to five weeks early, none of the four boys and three girls were on time, but all will share New Year's Day as their birthday.

For Maria Whiteley, 27, from Dawley, it was a gruelling 17 hours in labour after she was induced on New Year's Eve morning - but, she said, it was worth it.

Timothy Patrick Whiteley was born weighing 8lb 6oz at 9.20am, surrounded by family at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital (PRH), including new grandparents Steve and Gloria Salmon, from Ketley.

Mrs Whiteley said: "We thought he was going to be a Christmas baby, he was 10 days late."

Father Alex Whiteley, 28, a supermarket security guard, joked: "I was expecting to have Christmas off so I was wasn't happy - now he's grounded!

"I've got about two-and-a-half weeks off work to relax, now - but I don't expect I'll be getting much sleep."

"It's amazing, I've not long stopped crying. I was an emotional wreck, we all were.

"I have to thank our midwife (Fiona McAree), she was amazing."

But the title of first baby of of the year went to James Edward Sylvester at 1.02am, weighing 7lbs 1oz.

Mother Sarah Sylvester, 34, a management consultant at Capgemini who lives in Doseley, Telford, said James was five days early.

Her waters broke at 8am on New Year's Eve, but she didn't properly go into labour until about 10.30pm, she said.

She said: "It was all quite quick when it happened, I didn't expect him to be here so soon.

"It's quite exciting. It's something for him to tell his friends."

Father Paul Sylvester, 34, said his big sister Isla, three, loved having a new brother.

"She's really excited, she was holding him earlier and she wants to take him home," he said.

Emma Eakin, 25, said her boy William, born at 5.34am weighing just 6lb 7oz, was even more unexpected.

"I only came in because I had a sickness bug - and I came out with him," she said.

Miss Eakin lives with William's father John Ellis, 29, on Marlborough Way, Newdale, and both work at Tesco on Wrekin Retail Park.

"It was a bit of a shock. I came into hospital at 6.30pm Tuesday, I was checked over and they found I was dilated.

"He's five weeks early, it was a bit of a shock," she said, but added she felt much better.

Also born at PRH were Harlee Chilton, weighing 7lb 11oz at 2.12am, to Cherie and Scott Chilton of Priorslee, Joshua Woodhouse, weighing 7lb 9oz at 6.22am to Pauline Woodhouse and Martin Andrews of Cross Houses and Lucie Ebanks, weighing 8lb 4oz at 7.38am to Vanessa and Rob Ebanks of Leegomery.

Only one baby was born at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Isabella Hebblethwaite, to Sophia Hebblethwaite, weighing 8lb 15oz at 9.37am.