Schoolgirl, 12, has baby boy

A schoolgirl from the Midlands has become Britain's youngest mother after giving birth to a baby boy just days after her twelfth birthday.

It is believed the girl gave birth in her home town of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands after becoming pregnant at the age of 11.

Reports suggested that the girl had given birth at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital, but a spokesman for the hospital insisted that it had no knowledge or records of the girl or the birth.

The baby's father, who is believed to be just 14, visited both mother and baby after the girl gave birth last month. The mother and her baby are said to be in good health.

The revelation comes just days after a 12-year-old girl gave birth to a baby in Swansea, South Wales.

News of the the birth of the younger girl's child came to light after an unknown caller phoned the Blenheim Trust, an organisation which helps young girls in the Wolverhampton area, asking for help with a pregnant young girl.

Speaking to her local newspaper Mary Harding, who runs the trust, said: "We received a call from someone asking for help for a 12-year-old who had given birth.

"But as we are only able to deal with girls aged between 16 and 18 we couldn't help her directly."

She added: "Under-age pregnancies have become more frequent and the situation is quite alarming."

David Nolan, of the Birth Control Unit, insisted that this birth again highlighted the need for more education on contraception for young children.

He said: "This is extremely rare - you can count the number of 12-year- old births each year on the fingers of one hand.

"Childbirth is always a risky thing but at that age the risks are even greater.

"This shows that more money needs to be spent on promoting contraception and advice for young people."

He added: "Parents and teachers have to judge when the time is right to give out this advice but they must realise this information is vital."