IT was double joy for two Dorset couples who had children born exactly 12 hours apart on New Year’s Day.

The New Year saw two babies arrive at Dorset County Hospital’s maternity unit and staff and midwives were kept busy all day.

Baby Alfie Keene was born at 5.03am by Caesarean section and baby Lena Matloka was born naturally at 5.03pm.

Alfie held out for four days beyond his due date to become the first new arrival of 2011 at the Dorchester hospital.

Mum Beverley Ball was due to give birth on Wednesday and went into labour the day afterwards but he still refused to come until he arrived by Caesarean section at 5.03am on New Year’s Day.

Beverley, 24, said she and Alfie’s dad Sam Keene, 27 are very proud to be the first new parents of the new decade.

She said: “We are very happy. He’s perfect.”

She added: “I started having contractions on Thursday but spent hours and hours with nothing much happening so I had a c-section in the end.”

Beverley was driven to the hospital from her home in Laurel Close, Bridport, by her parents Christine and John Harley.

Alfie arrived weighing 7lb 2.5oz Beverley, who is a secretary at Martin and Son, said Alfie is her first child.

She said: “We did not expect him to be the first baby of the year because of his due date being the 28th.

“I thought he would come on Christmas Day.”

Alfie’s dad Sam, a salesman, was at the birth and Beverley said he will also be celebrating the new arrival with his mother Deborah.

First-time proud parents Nikoletta and Tomasz Matloka, from Weymouth, said their first daughter, Lena, was ‘just amazing’.

Nikoletta 27, is a duty manager of a bed and breakfast in Weymouth and husband Tomasz, 37, is a welder at Universal Engineering.

Lena weighted 6lbs 9.8oz and was born at 5.03pm on January 1.

The birth was not easy for first-time mum Nikoletta, who spent 40 hours in labour and went without sleep for over two days.

She said: “When I first saw her I though she was so tiny and her head was so small.

“She is our first baby so everything is just amazing.

“We were both crying and very happy. Even thought I didn’t expect my husband to cry.

“When Lena was born she was crying a bit and Tomasz took her in his arms and she stopped, so he felt very important and proud.”

Mr Matloka said that he was very happy and proud of his new baby and wife.

The family are planning to take Lena to their home country of Poland for a christening in the summer