Baby Neve is an Xmas gift of joy; WILLENHALL.

A MIDLAND couple will be spending their first Christmas as parents after more than eight years desperately trying for a baby.

"Little miracle" four-week-old Neve Ebony Jackson returned to Midland Fertility Services in Aldridge today with her mum Tracy.

And Tracy used the opportunity to give heart-felt thanks to staff and wish them a Merry Christmas.

Neve is one of more than 250 babies who will be celebrating their first December 25 this year after their parents received fertility treatment at the clinic.

Tracy, who is 35, and her husband David, aged 44, of Willenhall, tried to conceive for nearly a decade before they received funded treatment from Walsall Primary Care Trust for IVF treatment.

And Neve came into the world on November 17 after a frozen embryo transfer.

Delighted Tracy said: "This Christmas will be so special. Not only will we have both our mums, six sisters and a brother and their five children with us, but Neve is with us too.

"We hoped luck would shine on us this Christmas and our beautiful daughter will make it the most perfect ever."

An MFS spokesman said 259 babies had been born since Boxing Day 2006 thanks to help from the centre.

Dr Gillian Lockwood, medical director at MFS, said: "We are delighted that more than 214 families will be enjoying an extra special Christmas with their much longed-for babies.

CAPTION(S):

SANTA SPECIAL... Neve with her mum, Tracy, and Heidi Birch, director of nursing at Midland Fertility Services.