New Year's Day baby Thor is Walsall couple's superhero

And while he did not arrive wielding an enchanted hammer – like the Marvel Comics character he is named after – he does have a special birthday having been born on New Year's Day.

Thor is the second child for parents Abbie Jones, aged 25, and 29-year-old Lee Davis, and the task of coming up with the name was this time left to Lee.

While Abbie admits the name is a little unusual, the couple from Bloxwich could not be happier with their boy, who weighed in at 7 lb 10 oz (3.5kg).

Lee, who works as a plasterer, said: "I like the film Thor and it was from that I thought of the name. I'm not 100 per cent sure why I went for it but I do like the name and I guess that it just caught my eye."

Abbie, added: "When our daughter was born I picked the name Kiera so I said to Lee that this time it was up to him.

"Thor is defiantly quite unusual but it is already growing on me."

Giving birth to Thor was an epic struggle all of its own, with Abbie arriving at hospital on New Year's Eve morning and then spending 12 hours in labour before finally he arrived at 7.30am yesterday.

Abbie said: "I was delighted when it was over. They say it is quicker the second time around but my labour lasted 12 hours both when I had Kiera and now with Thor.

"With us now having the birthday on New Year's Day it means it gives us something to do around that time of year."

Already Thor's biggest fan is six-year-old big sister Kiera who had been pestering Abbie all day to know when she could come and meet him at the Primrose Ward at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Abbie added: "Kiera can't wait to get here – we have been getting calls off her every five minutes.

"When she found out that I was pregnant she had hoped for a baby sister – but when she found out it was going to be a boy she was just as happy anyway."