Baby Harper, born at 12:21am, is Fife’s first baby of 2023

Baby Harper Elizabeth Carr became Fife’s first baby of the New Year shortly after midnight.

While most of Scotland was toasting in 2023 with a glass of something special, first-time mum Jennifer and dad Dean were at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

The proud parents, from Kennoway, welcomed their special arrival shortly after the bells at 12:21am.

Baby Harper weighed in at a healthy 7lbs and 15oz.

Meanwhile, NHS Fife took time to thank its maternity staff and others across the Kingdom who are hard at work over New Year keeping Fifers healthy.

But the health board warned that it’s A&E department in Kirkcaldy was “extremely busy” on Hogmanay.

They said those attending for non-life threatening emergencies were likely to face a long wait as those in more urgent need are prioritised.

A spokesperson added: “Call 111 if you think you may need to go to the emergency department but it’s not life threatening. In a life-threatening medical emergency, always call 999.

“If we all use our NHS services wisely, we can keep well and get the care we need quickly, safely and as close to home as possible.”