There are not many mothers who would want 100,000 people watching them give birth.

But that is the number of people who have been tracking an internet web cam waiting for a clutch of swans' eggs to hatch.

And finally, after more than 35 days of nesting, the cygnets began to appear on Friday.

Retired IT consultant Robin Baker set up the web cams and created the Swan Watch web site last year when a pair of mute swans made a nest in his garden, which overlooks Widewater in Lancing, near Worthing.

This time the site has been attracting more than 6,000 hits a day and once The Argus and TV stations began to follow the birds' progress, more than 100,000 people began logging on.

This year the pair of swans laid eight eggs and the first cygnet showed its beak at about 7am yesterday morning.

The others followed quickly as the mother sat on the nest keeping them warm, with the proud dad standing guard nearby.

Mrs Baker said: "It's like becoming a granny. How many people can say they have something like this in their garden? It's just so amazing."

The couple keep the two web cams focused on the pair at all times.

When Mr Baker awoke yesterday he went straight to the computer to see the first cygnet hatch.

Once the birds are independent Mr and Mrs Baker will be putting their home on the market as they plan to retire to Spain.

The egg action can be seen on www.robinbaker.net