A GROUP of travel workers have been left wondering whether there is something in the water after half of them gave birth to baby boys within little over a year.

By Danielle Nuttall

A GROUP of travel workers have been left wondering whether there is something in the water after half of them gave birth to baby boys within little over a year.

Five women from Martlesham Heath-based travel company Imaginative Travel have heard the patter of tiny feet during the past 16 months - and another employee has one on the way.

Two of the new mums gave birth just 10 days apart and with a newly married woman in the office, bets are already on for who is next.

The travel workers have been baffled by the spooky coincidences, but there are suspicions a certain office chair is to blame.

Liddy Pleasants' son, Sam, sparked off the baby boom when he was born in October 2005.

Next was Gemma Parry's son, Mason Hopkins, who is 11 months old, followed by Sinead Bailey's son, Charlie, who is three-and-a-half months, and then Emma Magnus' son Archie, who was born 13 weeks ago.

The newest arrival, Lee Douglas' son Matthew, was born just three-and-a-half weeks ago.

Natalie Stroud, who is due to give birth in June, said her own pregnancy was even more remarkable in that she had been diagnosed with polycystic ovaries and did not think she would be able to conceive.

“Most people have said there is something in the water,” she said.

“I was completely not expecting it at all as I have polycystic ovaries. Everyone is more surprised that they have all had boys. I think mine is going to be a boy.”

Mrs Douglas said she had thought her own baby would be a girl because the run had to break at some stage.

“We thought there had to be a girl at some point,” she said.

“We say it's either in the water or there is a certain chair. We have warned all the girls to stay off it. Worryingly, we've all sat on that chair at some point.”

Miss Parry added: “Now with Natalie pregnant, babies are always topic of conversation in the office. It's very, very strange.”

The office is already in agreement at who will be next in the baby chain, Amy Wills Crisp.

Yesterday Mrs Wills Crisp, who got married in May, said: “I'm a bit twitchy. Everyone keeps saying it will be me next. I'm staying out of the chair!

“Everyone says we could do with a crèche here. It's a bit of a joke but I think we could really do with one.”

danielle.nuttall@eadt.co.uk