THE birth of a baby is a happy occasion for all families.

But for the Pollards it was extra special as Carla was the first girl to be born into the family for 54 years.

A girl has not been born to the male-dominated clan since Carla’s great-aunt Barbara Munkley arrived in the world more than half a century ago.

Carla was born on October 1 to Matthew Pollard, 28, and his partner Sam Ripley, 24.

Mr Pollard, of Bell Lane, in Cassington, said: “I was absolutely stunned. We thought she would be a girl, but they can never get it 100 per cent right.

“We were both happy as we really wanted a daughter as it is a nice change. She is extremely special.

“The last girl in my family was my auntie.”

He added: “I thought the law of averages must play into our favour at some point.

“It has been a long time coming, we didn’t think we would ever be parents.

“Both of us were hoping that it would be a girl as we wanted a daughter, we had even picked girls names before she was born.

“It was a bit weird, maybe in a way the way we felt helped it along.”

Mr Pollard is the eldest of five brothers – Daniel, 27, Ben, 24, Alex, 18 and Jamie 16.

He said his mum Sue, 52, was happy to have some female company: “I have never seen my mum smile like she does when she sees Carla smile. I have never seen her so happy.

“It’s quite nice as she would have loved to have a daughter and I think this is the best it’s going to get.

“Carla was quite spoilt at Christmas.”

Miss Ripley, who works for a haulage company, started having contractions two days before Carla was born.

Mr Pollard, a delivery driver for Oxford TPS, said: “I have never been so happy in my life, it’s an amazing feeling being a dad.

“She is a very happy baby and well behaved. It’s a miracle.”

First-time grandfather David Pollard, 57, of Begbroke Crescent, Begbroke, said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed and she is such a beauty.”