THE first Wee County baby of the year was born on New Year's morning five hours after the bells brought in the new decade.

Baby Emma Neuvirth was born almost three weeks early at Forth Valley Royal Hospital at 5.33am on New Year's Day, weighing a healthy 5lbs 1oz.

Emma's parents Patrik and Slavomira Neuvirth, of Dunvegan Court in Alloa, were both absolutely delighted to welcome their new daughter into the world.

The couple have lived in Alloa for five years and recently returned home to Slovakia to get married.

They will celebrate their two-year anniversary in July and have started the year off with the first new addition to their family.

When speaking to the Advertiser about the first new-born in the Wee County, mum Slavomira explained Emma was due to be born on January 19 and arrived way ahead of schedule.

However, Slavomira insisted everything went well and thanked the nurses who made sure everything went according to plan.

Tot Emma is Patrik and Slavomira's first child together and the duo admit they are planning for another.

However, when asked if they were hoping for a big family, Slavomira laughed and said: "One more will be enough."

Speaking after the birth of Emma, NHS Forth Valley senior sister midwife Therese Macdonald said: "The birth of any baby is always a very special moment but it is particularly special when it occurs at the dawn of a new decade."

Baby Emma arrived a lot earlier this year than the first baby born from Clackmannanshire last year, Jasper, who was not born until January 7, 2019.