McCartney and Mills ‘ecstatic’ at birth of baby Beatrice

PAUL McCARTNEY and Heather Mills said yesterday they were “ecstatic” after becoming parents of a baby girl called Beatrice.

She was born on Tuesday at a north London hospital close to their home in St John's Wood. A statement issued by the couple said: "Heather and Paul McCartney are delighted to announce the birth of their baby daughter Beatrice Milly McCartney, who was born in London on 28 October at 8.45pm by Caesarean section.

"The baby, who arrived three weeks early, weighed in at a healthy 7lbs, and both she and mum are doing well. Paul and Heather are ecstatic with the news. They said 'She is a little beauty and we couldn't be prouder'.

The couple said the baby is named after Heather's mother Beatrice and Paul's aunt Milly. She is 61-year-old McCartney's fourth child. He has three children from his marriage to Linda, who died in 1998 musician James, 25, photographer Mary, 33, and fashion designer Stella, 31.

And he also has a stepdaughter, Heather, from Linda's first marriage.

The new arrival was initially reported to be a boy, but this morning the couple confirmed it was a girl.

Beatrice was delivered at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in north London, close to Abbey Road, where The Beatles recorded most of their magical moments.

McCartney married anti-landmine campaigner Mills in June 2002 in a ceremony at Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan.

But they had feared they would be unable to have a child together because of complications when Mills was younger. She suffered two ectopic pregnancies during her marriage to computer sales director Alfie Karmal. They split in 1989.

Mills, a former model who lost her leg when she was hit by a police motorcyclist on an emergency call, recently described the tearful moment when she revealed she was Carrying their longed-for child.

She told US chat host Larry King: "I showed him the test and he just went 'Oh'. We both started crying and it was just a miracle."