Weighing in at over a tonne and comprising 1,500 valves and miles of wiring, it is not what most people would recognise as a computer.

Despite its antiquated appearance, however, this enormous machine - once nickNAMEd The Baby - was once the cutting edge of technology. Some of the pioneering engineers behind it gathered in Manchester yesterday to celebrate the birthday of what was the world s first digital computer.

Sixty years ago today The Baby completed its first calculation, giving birth to technologies which we are still using.