Watch as a SECOND South Shields lockdown baby says his first word at 10 WEEKS OLD

Lockdown baby Jackson Pennie was born on Sunday, April 5 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, while the UK was firmly under lockdown.

After months at home with his proud parents Racheal Owens, 34 and dad, Christopher Pennie, 47 of Oxford Street, he wowed them by saying ‘hello’ last week.

Racheal, on maternity leave from her job as a disability support worker, and Christopher a bus driver who had been furloughed had begun encouraging Jackson when they realised he was trying to speak well before his time.

They managed to catch the moment on video on Friday, June 19.

“He’s been trying really hard to talk, he’s quite advanced for his age," said Racheal, who is also mum to Jackson’s older sister Kelsey, seven, and step-mum to Sheridan, 11, and Madison, 14.

“When he was born he was trying to hold his head up and we’ve caught him a few times trying to put his dummy back in.”

Last week the Gazette reported on another ‘genius’ baby Rome Carr, who had also uttered his first word at just 10 weeks after being born in March, just after the lockdown restrictions were imposed.

“I think it might have something to do with the amount of attention the newborns have been getting - they’ve only had one or two people with them talking to them all the time,” Racheal said.

“I have found it hard, especially without the help of his grandparents and them not being able to see him, we have been doing Facetime videos, but it’s not quite the same.”

Jackson was also the first baby born during the lockdown to have his birth registered in the borough after registrations restarted on Monday, June 22.

“We were first in the queue. It felt like we were making history, it’s something we can look back on and tell him about when he’s older,” Racheal added.

“I’ve even been making a little lockdown scrapbook for him for when he grows up.”

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