SETH Isaac Royle is just a few days old but he already occupies a very special place in the history of Trafford General Hospital.

Little Seth is one of the last New Year’s Day babies who will ever be born on the hospital’s maternity unit, which is closing at the end of the month.

Baby Seth was born at 12.48pm on New Year’s Day weighing 7lb 14oz to proud parents Kerrin and David Royle, from Davyhulme.

“He’s gorgeous and we’re ecstatic and overjoyed,” said Kerrin, “but it’s an incredible feeling to know he is one of the last New Year’s babies ever born at Trafford General. The staff here have been amazing all the way through my pregnancy and labour and I really couldn’t have asked for better care.”

The maternity unit at Trafford General is closing at the end of January as part of a Greater Manchester-wide reorganisation of children’s and maternity services called Making it Better, agreed in 2006 following extensive public consultation.

From February, women will still be able to have antenatal care, scans and postnatal care in Trafford but those who want to give birth in hospital will have their babies in the expanded maternity units at Saint Mary’s, Wythenshawe or another hospital of their choice.