NEW Year’s Day was a very special day for the parents of the eight babies born at Basingstoke hospital.

Among the first to arrive was baby Eden Nicolle Rudd, whose father is currently serving in Iraq.

Eden is the first child of Matthew and Lyndsey Rudd, who had been hoping for a child for 10 years. She was born at 3.16pm, weighing exactly 8lbs.

Lyndsey, 31, said: “My mum was my birth partner, and she cut the cord. Matthew would have loved to be here, but we have sent him pictures and he can’t wait to come home and see her.”

Matthew, 37, is a flight operations manager at RAF Odiham and has been in Iraq since October. He will return home next month.

Proud new grandma Barbara Payne, who lives in Wales with her husband Albert, said: “It was very special to be her birth partner. They have been waiting for 10 years so it is really sad her husband couldn’t be here.”

Lyndsey, who works at RAF Odiham as a dental nurse, explained that the unusual middle name was her maiden name, and has been given to her daughter in memory of her own father, who passed away when she was only 20 months old.

Also making an appearance on January 1 was Joshua-James Peter Chalker, who was born to Mandy Teagle and Hugh Chalker just after 8pm, weighing 6lbs, 14.5oz. He is the second child for Hugh, 26, and the third for 33-year-old Mandy.

The couple, who live in Cranbourne, Basingstoke, said they were thrilled with the new arrival.

Mandy said: “It does make it a bit more special having him on New Year’s Day. I was induced in the morning and we thought it might take a while, but it was over really quickly.”

Welcoming her first child on January 1 was Lisa Pepperell, from Rooksdown, Basingstoke, whose daughter Evie Grace Pepperell was born at 9.10pm weighing in at 7lbs, 3oz.

Lisa, a 40-year-old IT consultant, said: “I was two days overdue so I always knew it was a possibility she would come on New Year’s Day.

“I’m just glad it wasn’t Christmas Day or Boxing Day, and it will be nice for her to be able to celebrate the start of her birthday while also celebrating the New Year. It will also mean I can’t be hungover for January 1, which might not be a bad thing!”