ASHLEY Cain has revealed his baby son has been born and shared a sweet snap.
The proud dad took to Instagram this afternoon to share the first picture of the newborn, and there was a special mention for his late daughter Azaylia.
Alongside the photo of him holding the tot's hand, Ashley wrote: "Aliyas Diamond Cain - 16.01.24, 4:32am, 9lbs 3oz.
"I will love you, appreciate you, guide you and protect you with all of my heart, for the rest of my life.
"& you will have the most beautiful guardian angel heaven holds watching over you and protecting you too.
GMB's Ed Balls and Charlotte Hawkins fight back tears as Ashley Cain says he's 'still inspired' by late daughter Azaylia
"Welcome to the world my son.
"May your body be strong, your mind be wise, your heart be loving and your spirit be pure and truly powerful."
His friends and fans were quick to send their well wishes.
Ashley Banjo posted: "Congrats brother."
Love Island's Michael Griffiths wrote: "Congrats my brother beyond happy for you."
Nineties Gladiator Rhino said: "Huge Congratulations brother."
The proud dad then explained the reasoning behind Aliyas' name.
He wrote: "What the letter 'A' holds is a family tradition, being the first letter of my father's and all my uncles' first names. The name 'Diamond' is from my grandma and their mother. It's our family name along with Cain. It's our Vincentian roots, all the way from our small island and from our great people."
Ashley is yet to reveal the identity of the mother of his son.
He and ex partner Safiyya Vorajee lost their daughter Azaylia, whose middle name was also Diamond, to leukaemia in 2021 when she was just eight months old.
Ashley Cain says Azaylia 'saved his life' and gave him a chance of redemption
Last month Safiyya exclusively told The Sun of her heartache after learning Ashley was expecting a baby boy with another woman.
It led to criticism from some, but Ashley was quick to quash any backlash.
Addressing the conversation he had with Safiyya, he claimed "recollections may vary" but insisted he is committed to working with her to lead The Azaylia Foundation, which was set up in honour of their little girl.
Ashley wrote on social media: "Safiyya and I have shared an intense emotional journey together since losing Azaylia.
"When there are intense emotions involved, be that from loss, breakups or my recent baby announcement, recollection of events may vary.
"What has never varied is our mutual commitment to our daughter’s foundation, which has never been stronger.
"So I will continue saying less and doing more."
Ex-footballer Ashley, 33, spoke of his joy at being a dad again late last year, though he admitted he had mixed emotions given the grief he continues to live with.
But Safiyya, 36, claimed he had initially wanted to try for another child with her and that his baby news had left her taken aback.
She told us: “I don’t know why he would ask to have another baby with me knowing he’s sleeping with someone else.
“When he asked me, it was the moment I’d been waiting for.
"I sighed with relief that we could reunite and have a family again.
"It was at Azaylia’s garden, in front of our daughter, such a precious, safe space for us.
“He said, ‘I don’t want another baby with another woman’, and asked if we could have one together.
“I couldn’t speak, the tears were rolling down my face.
“Over the coming weeks I then waited for him to say, ‘Shall we get back together’. I truly thought he would, I thought he was just taking things step by step.
“But then, out of the blue, he told me he was having a child with someone else.
"It was like a hurricane had hit me. I am shocked.
In another exclusive interview, Ashley previously spoke of the emotional moment he told Safiyya about the pregnancy and said that she had congratulated him.
But sobbing and wiping away tears, Safiyya later told us: “How can I congratulate him when I’m in so much pain?
"Knowing my child has a sibling that isn’t related to me has shattered my dreams of a future with a full sibling, of that family.
“I feel embarrassed. I am speaking out because I need to stop sugar-coating stuff that’s painful to me. I am devastated.
“Because he hasn’t named this woman I’ve had thousands and thousands of messages with people thinking it is me, congratulating me.”
