PROUD parents Carrie Fraine and John Hamer are counting their blessings in sevens after the birth of their daughter.

Katy Leigh Hamer was born on the seventh day of the seventh month in 2007 - and weighed in at 7lb 7ozs.

Mum Carrie went into labour at 7am last Saturday and finally gave birth at seven minutes to five.

That makes a staggering seven lots of connections with number seven.

Now Carrie and John believe their pride and joy is a little wonder. The couple, of Haslingden, Rossendale, were not expecting Katy to arrive until the following day - but hoped she would be born on the unusual date.

John, a firefighter at Haslingden, said: "When we found out the due date, I said it would be nice if she was born a day early, so she'd have this unusual birthday.

"They weighed her at the hospital in kilograms.

"When we tried to convert it in our heads, we worked out that she was 7lbs 4ozs.

"But, when the midwife came back in, she told us it was 7lbs 7ozs, which was really rather weird. We're very happy she was born on that date."

Big sister Charlie, 10, a pupil at Haslingden County Primary School, is delighted with her new sister although Katy remains oblivious to the stir she has caused.

Carrie, a nursery nurse in Haslingden, said: "We'll certainly never forget Katy's birthday - we've no excuse."