Midwives at Croydon University Hospital delivered 14 bundles of joy on New Year's day.

Staff, who usually deliver between eight and 10 babies a day, were thrilled with the bumper number of newborns seeing in 2011.

Among the new mums was Amy Boud who, after a brief twenty-two minute labour, gave birth to her second son William weighing 7lbs 8oz at 4:22 am.

Miss Boud, 22, said she was delighted and that William has been “as good as gold”, sleeping well and warmly welcomed by his two-year-old brother who can't stop “hugging and kissing” the new addition to the family.

Minutes before William's birth, at 4:15 am, Masters student Ngozi Ikezue gave birth to baby girl Kika Chu Kwu after a more strenuous ten hour labour.

Mrs Ikezue and her husband were equally as thrilled with the birth of their first daughter, weighing 8lbs 12oz, and it comes as a perfect birthday present for their son who turns five this week.