DON and Judith McClurg battled through blizzards to have a special millennium celebration with the birth of their boy.

The happy couple, of Catterick, North Yorkshire, were oblivious to the celebrations going on around the country as they held their tiny baby Harry for the first time, at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.

Weighing 8lb 6oz, Harry was born at 2.52am yesterday. Despite a smooth birth, the couple had a less comfortable journey to the hospital, as fierce blizzards swept across the region.

Soldier Don, 29, said: "I was worried about getting Judith to the hospital in time because the weather was atrocious, but we arrived at 11pm, and thankfully, there were no complications with the birth of Harry."

Judith, 25, seems to have a knack of giving birth on noteworthy dates. Their 23-month-old son, Charlie, was born on her birthday.

She said: "It's uncanny how I seem to give birth on important occasions. It's almost as if someone is trying to stop us from having a drink. Maybe we'll be celebrating our next baby on Christmas Day, or on Don's birthday."

Their celebrations may be short-lived, as Don is scheduled to fly out to Norway next Tuesday with the 5th Regiment Royal Artillery Medical Corp.

He said: "Hopefully, they may let me stay on to spend time with the family."