In fact, to some, there seemed to be slight rise in the numbers of babies being born at the Young District Hospital which was worth investigating.

After we received some figures from the Greater Southern Area Health Service our suspicions were confirmed and we can reveal there are now over 60 more babies born in Young per year than there was four years ago and the figures have been on the rise since 2006 when 132 babies were born.

In 2007 the figure reached 183, there were 188 in 2008 and last year the figure had reached 195!

And if you think things are slowing down, think again, because hospital figures show that in December 2009 there were 23 births (getting up towards one a day) and that is up six on 2008 when there were 17.

Year to date offer little respite either, from June 30 to December 31, 2009 there has been 85 births, this compares to 82 for the same period in 2008.