WORCESTER’S new midwife-led birth unit has welcomed its 100th baby.

George Stanley Flavell was born at 12.10am on Thursday, June 18, the hundredth child to be born at the unit since it opened two months ago.

Baby George, who weighed a healthy 6lbs 14oz, was born to parents Liz and Dan from Solihull, who decided to come to the new unit for the birth of their third child

Mrs Flavell said the couple had chosen to deliver George at the centre at Worcestershire Royal Hospital due to its calming and relaxed atmosphere and because her husband would be able to stay overnight.

"The care we've received has been fantastic and it seems like a nice environment for the midwives to work in too,” she said.

“We'll take George back now to meet his two older sisters."

Her husband said: "Liz is quite competitive so she was happy to be the 100th mum to give birth here.

“One hundred babies in nine weeks is very impressive."

The £600,000 centre was officially opened by Princess Anne on Monday, April 13 and is intended to provide a comfortable and welcoming environment for women with straightforward, low-risk pregnancies.

Team leader at the centre Louise Turbutt said: "We are thrilled to have reached 100 babies in such a short space of time, and we're privileged that Liz and Dan chose us to have George with us here."

Midwife Carlett Simmance was on hand at George’s birth and said she felt “extremely privileged” to be working at the new centre.

"I was so pleased to be able to be the midwife at the birth of the 100th baby born in the centre,” she said.

"Liz was an absolute delight to look after.

“Her mum and husband were wonderful support and she now has the most beautiful baby boy to complete her family.”

The centre is staffed by 14 experienced midwives and seven maternity support workers and is located in a section of the hospital previously used for triage and is next to its delivery suite in case something goes wrong during the birth.

Up to 500 women are expected to give birth at the unit, which has four en-suite delivery rooms, three with birthing pools, in its first year, and 1,000 the year after.

It has been widely praised by influential figures across the county, with Worcester MP Robin Walker saying he was “blown away” when he visited ahead of the centre's opening in April.