HE may only be a few days old, but big baby Deklan Crowe is already the talk of the town.

Weighing in at 12lb 4oz and measuring 24ins, Deklan's size surprised even experienced midwives when he was born at Darlington Memorial Hospital last week.

Proud mum Ashley Crowe, 24, gave birth by Caesarean section last Thursday. She knew she was going to have a big child, but guessed it would be around the 10lb mark.

She said: "I'm in shock. I didn't know what to do when they told me how much he weighed - I couldn't believe it. But considering he's so big, he's so placid."

But she explained that one problem has arisen as a result of Deklan's size, adding: "All the new baby stuff has got to go back because he can't get into them."

Mrs Crowe, of Beechfield, Newton Aycliffe, has another son Lewis, aged two, who was not particularly large at birth. She reckons Deklan takes after his dad James, who is 6ft 4ins tall.

Reckoned by midwives at Darlington Memorial to be one of the biggest deliveries there in recent years, Deklan is still way behind the world record heavy baby of 22lb 8oz in Italy in 1955.