By Alexandra Williams

THE black and white photo of Sir Paul McCartney and his new baby is a trip down memory lane.

It harks back to August 1969 when he posed with daughter Mary and first wife Linda.

Mary, August, 1969

Two years later and he opted for a similar snap hours after the birth of Stella. Then, in September 1977, he celebrated son James's arrival in the same way. Beatrice was born in a different century but there was no way Sir Paul was going to break with tradition.

Stella, September, 1971

His brother Mike was called in to take the picture with the proud parents beaming huge smiles while Beatrice lies back with her mouth wide open. In the oldest photo Sir Paul adopts a more serious look. Mary, feeding from a bottle, is now a photographer and animal rights campaigner.

At 33, she is just two years younger than her stepmother Heather.

In the second photo, Sir Paul and Linda are with sleeping baby Stella, now a fashion designer.

James, September, 1977

But by 1977, Sir Paul at last manages a smile as he proudly shows off newborn son James,now a musician and architect. As Mike left the St John and St Elizabeth Hospital at 5pm yesterday, he said: "The baby's lovely. Really beautiful. I think she looks like both of them, but you'll have to make up your own mind."

Beatrice, October, 2003

Asked why he had been chosen to take the picture of his newborn niece, he joked: "Because I'm a genius photographer."