Hartlepool girl gets to celebrate birthday on the right date

Lara Stewart (left) who celebrated her 8th Birthday on 29th February with her Dad Ellis and sister Isla. Picture by FRANK REID

That is because the eight-year-old’s birthday is on February 29 – a leap year.

Lara’s parents Tamara and Ellis Stewart laid on a number of extra special treats to celebrate the rare occasion.

Lara Stewart who celebrated her 8th Birthday on 29th February. Picture by FRANK REID

Dad Ellis, 42, of Bishop Cuthbert, Hartlepool, said: “If it falls on February 29, we make sure we do something on that day.

“If it wasn’t a leap year, we would probably just have had a small party. This year she had a sleepover with friends on Saturday night and we took her to London to see the musical Wicked, which she loves.

“She is obsessed with musicals, especially Disney’s Descendants.”

In previous years Lara has celebrated her birthday on both February 28 and March 1.

Ellis, who runs an adventure sports clothing business, added: “I’ve always said if it wasn’t a leap year, Lara would have been born on March 1.

“Some years we have celebrated it on March 1 and other years on February 28.

“It just depends on whichever day is more convenient particularly if it falls around a weekend.”

And describing what Lara herself thinks of her quirky birth date, he added: “She gets the funny side of it.

“She has had a few cards with ‘happy second birthday’ on and she knows why.”

After a day of lessons at Throston Primary School with sister Isla, aged six, Lara came home to a big family party.

An extra day is added to February every four years to keep our clocks in sync with the orbit of Earth around the sun.

It is a tradition that women can propose to men on a leap year day.