THE odds of Ciaran Galvin being born on February 29, 2000, were slim. For a start, he was born in a leap year, on a day that only happens once every four years. Plus it was the turn of the century where the rules get a little more complicated and only years divisible by 400 are leap years. Hence, 2000 had the extra day but 1900 did not.

More specifically, he was not even due until April 4 but Ciaran decided to put in an early appearance and subsequently featured in your Worcester News along with six other leap year babies, all born at the then Worcester Royal Infirmary's maternity unit.

Now, a pupil of Norton-juxta-Kempsey first school in Littleworth, how does Ciaran cope with his unusual birthday?

Mum Amanda Galvin, of Kazala Drive, Norton, said: "He's a really happy little chap who enjoys everything.

"He's having a few friends round for a birthday tea and by special request we are going to the Sealife Centre in Birmingham.

"He thinks his birthday is great. He's really excited that he's going to be having a real one but I told him not to tell his pals he was only going to be two in case they ribbed him."

Emily-May Nunney was another leap year baby who featured in your Worcester News in 2000. She is also eight today.

Mum Tammy Nunney said: "She's telling everybody, I'm eight but I'm only two and when I'm 40-something I'll only just be able to buy a drink.'"

Ms Nunney, of Rainbow Hill, said Emily, a Perrywood Primary School pupil, usually celebrates her birthday on February 28.

She said: "I wanted to keep it in February otherwise one year she's gong to have it in February and then for the next three years she'll have it in March."

Bethany Stevens is not a leap year baby but February 29 is also a special day for her this year.

From today, she will be the same age as her mother Ali and, at her tender age, is already facing the prospect of always being older than her mum.

Although Mrs Stevens is 36 years old, she will only celebrate her ninth real' birthday this year because her birthday falls on a leap year.

The date discrepancy has caused much confusion among Mrs Stevens' three children.

Mrs Stevens said: "My daughter has had the same number of birthdays as me.

"She's already nine - her birthday was in January.

"I have three children and they all think it's a very amazing fact that their mum is younger than her oldest daughter.

"Bethany thinks it's great fun that we are going to be the same age."

Leap year is not just a special time for birthday boys and girls but also a potentially life-changing day for ladies brave enough to take the plunge and propose to their fellas.

The tradition of women proposing to men on February 29 is believed to have started in 5th century Ireland when St Bridget complained to St Patrick about women having to wait so long for a man to propose.

In 1288, Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage during a leap year and ordered any man who declined a proposal to pay a fine, ranging from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.

Andy Churchill, who works for your Worcester News, saved himself the cost of a new frock by agreeing to marry his sweetheart - and now wife - Bev when she asked him eight years ago on February 29.

The couple still have fond memories of the day. Mrs Churchill said: "I don't know why I did it, I just had one of those mad moments.

"I was obviously 99 per cent sure he was going to accept and I thought he would like it.

"It wasn't spur of the moment. I had thought about it for a couple of days, but if you are going to do it, you're best to do it quickly."

So if any girls out there are thinking of taking the plunge and think their chap will accept, get a move on - it's now or never.

WHY DO WE HAVE LEAP YEARS?A leap year is one in which one extra day has been inserted so there are 366 days. Other years, called common years, have 365.

Leap years are needed because the earth takes slightly longer than 365 days to revolve around the sun so, without the extra day, seasons would gradually drift out of alignment with the calendar.

Instead of having a February 29 every four years, the Romans used to have February 24 twice instead.

On February 29, 1964, the Queen's cousin, Princess Alexandra, gave birth to baby James Robert Bruce Ogilvy, thought to be the first ever royal leap year baby.

In 1976 27-year-old surfer Dale Webster vowed to continue surfing every day until February 29 again fell on the fifth Sunday of the month. He surfed every day for 10,407 days, until 2004.

Sweden and the USSR have both had February 30s - as the result of a calendar error and a short-lived efficiency experiment respectively.

I LOVE BIRTHDAYS - IT'S A SHAME I'VE ONLY HAD EIGHT OF THEMWHAT is it actually like to be a leap year baby?

If I had a pound for everyone who has asked me that question over the years I'd be very rich by now.

The short answer is that I don't really know whether I feel any different to anyone else because, to me, it is perfectly normal to have my birthday on February 29. I've had my whole life to get used to it.

That said, I love birthdays and, unlike others perhaps, my enjoyment has not diminished with the passing of time so yes, I probably do take this whole special day business a bit more seriously than most.

As a child, I remember vividly having to stand up, squirming uncomfortably, with my birthday badge on during an assembly to explain why we had leap years.

My friends always got into the spirit of it and made me cards, not just for my real' birthdays but also ones that proclaimed I was two and a half or three and three quarters.

Even today, I am fully expecting to receive more cards that are suitable for primary school pupils than for my own advanced years - but I definitely won't complain about that.

The best thing about being a leap year baby, though, is that my long-suffering family have always indulged me in a bid to make every year special.

So for three years, I have' my birthday on February 28 but, usually, the celebrations last for at least a weekend. (It helps that not everyone knows when to send the cards so they drift in over several days.) Then every fourth year, like today, I have a real' birthday and the celebration just goes on and on. ALICIA KELLY