Baby boom.

Byline: By Nicola Juncar

Nursery's staff give birth to six

There must be something in the water at a Tyneside nursery.

Staff at Footsteps Nursery are experiencing a baby boom and boosting their numbers with six pregnancies in under two years.

The nursery in Westgate Road, Newcastle, has seen five of its childcare assistants through their pregnancies ( with one blooming for a second time.

The first birth was announced shortly after the nursery opened in March 2004, when 30-year-old Sharmila Mohammed Sheefk, from the West End of Newcastle, gave birth to a baby girl.

Seven months later Nahid Akatar Din, 23, also gave birth to a girl and just one month later Sultana Rajia, 33, had a bouncing baby boy.

In May 2005, 33-year-old Shazia Farid, from Fenham, gave birth to a healthy baby girl, while the first baby of 2006 came in January when Bariza Ghiti, 36, gave birth to another baby girl.

And finally, going full-circle, Sharmila is expecting her second child, which is due in August this year. Her daughter Shanza is already attending the nursery.

"It's really quite amazing that five members of staff have fallen pregnant six times in such a short space of time. I am getting married later in the year, so I am steering clear of the water," joked Sarah Menzies, project manager at Footsteps Nursery.

Expectant mum Sharmila said: "My daughter, Shanza, now goes to the nursery and really enjoys it. It is a very good nursery and really looks after the children well.

"I was very surprised when I found out there had been so many pregnancies in such a short time, but the staff have been great and very supportive. I am very happy with the nursery and it is very beneficial for the community, as it is easily accessible."

Footsteps Nursery is managed by Christian-based charity Spurgeon's, which is designed to help children, young people and families, and has 120 projects worldwide. Sure Start Westgate Children's Centre works in partnership with Footsteps Nursery.

Miss Menzies said: "The nursery was originally set up in the West End of Newcastle because it has a high number of refugees and asylum seekers and is an area of deprivation, so the aim was to help parents with childcare so they could return to training or employment.

"We are registered to care for up to 24 children, from birth up to five years old, and we have 14 members of staff, including part-time and casual workers. The nursery still has vacancies which we hope to fill from the local community, but families from outside the area are also welcome to contact us."

For more information about Footsteps Nursery, call [phone] or visit its newly-launched website at www.footsteps-daynursery.co.uk