Baby boom after cuts

A small Dutch community has recorded a 44 per cent rise in baby births nine months after a power cut plunged its 23,000 inhabitants into darkness for two days.

In December last year, an Apache helicopter accidentally severed cables providing electricity to the nine villages that make up the municipality of Maasdriel.

During the ensuing 50 hours of darkness, many inhabitants sought midwinter hospitality in other towns, "but some found heat among themselves", town spokeswoman Annelies van Eijkeren said.

There were 26 babies born in Maasdriel in September - a 44 per cent rise on last year's 18.