LITTLE Jake Atkinson was born today (Wednesday, December 12) on what is believed to be the luckiest dates in the calendar.

But not only did he make his entrance on 12.12.12 he did so at 12 minutes past 12.

Jake was born at the University Hospital of North Durham in Durham City, weighing in at 7lbs 20z.

His dad Neil Atkinson and mum Amanda Dickinson were amazed when they realised the time of his arrival.

The couple, from Sherburn Village in County Durham , who have a 15-month-old daughter called Summer, were expecting Jake to appear a few days earlier.

Mr Atkinson, 29, who works for a Teesside engineering firm, said: “It is quite unbelievable. “It was 12 minutes past midnight. We were looking at the clock, thinking it would go into 12th of the 12th, 12 for his date of birth.

“We didn’t think anything else of it, but when he was born the midwife locked at the clock and said it is 12 minutes past 12.

“It took a few seconds and then it clicked. “It is all on the paperwork that they have given us.

“We have a band that was wrapped round his arm that has the date of birth and the time of birth

“Jake was due on Saturday, but in the end he came out quickly.

“Our daughter Summer is 15 months and was born on September 11 last year so we have two children that have something about their date of birth."

Miss Dickinson, 26, and the new arrival are back home and the expanded family are now preparing for Christmas.