TWO Hyndburn families could not have wished for better Christmas presents this year.

For the delighted couples spent Christmas Day in the maternity suite of Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn, welcoming their special deliveries into the world.

Bubbly little Ella Grimshaw became Hyndburn's first Christmas Day baby.

Ella, the daughter of Nicola Kitchen and her partner Paul Grimshaw, made her entrance into the world at 6.30am,weighing in at 7lbs 12ozs.

Nicola, 27, who works as a nursery nurse at Queen's Park Hospital, said: "She arrived without any problems at all, although we had expected her a few days earlier.''

Nicola and Paul, 35, a building contractor, of Mayfield Gardens, Oswaldtwistle, also have a three-year-old daughter Libby.

Just a few hours later, Kelly Howson and James Mulholland, of Windermere Avenue, Huncoat, were welcoming another late arrival.

Their second son, Shamus Mulholland, who was actually due on 16 December, came into the world at 10.06am on Christmas morning, weighing 7lbs 10ozs.

Kelly, 22, and James, 30, whose other son, Callum, is four, had to abandon their plans for Christmas dinner as they raced to the hospital at 9.30am.