Of all the Christmas gifts, there is no doubt that a newborn baby is the most precious – and in west Suffolk there were a number of proud parents celebrating the arrival of a new addition to their family on Christmas Day.

By mid-afternoon two Christmas babies had been delivered at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

First to arrive was Eddie Jon Bird, who was born at 1.21am and weighed 8lb 2oz.

His mother, Leanne Winfield, 25, of Tollgate Lane, Bury St Edmunds, said she had a hunch he was going to be born on Christmas Day.

She said: “Eddie was six days late and as we got nearer to Christmas I just had this feeling. I’ve got the full set now because my previous son, Noah, was born on my birthday.”

Several hours later, at 5.11am, a baby girl, Evie Jazz Carrick, was also delivered, weighing in at 8lb 4oz.

For parents Samantha Brooks and Terry Carrick, of Brandon, the arrival took some explaining to their other two children – four-year-old Archie and two-and-a-half-year-old Izzi-Mae.

“We left them with their aunt and told them Santa was taking us to hospital on his sleigh,” said Mr Carrick.

“We’ve already decided that Evie will have another birthday on July 1, like the Queen, so she doesn’t get all her birthday and Christmas presents in one go each year.”

He added: “The staff at the hospital were great and we couldn’t have been in better hands.”

On the maternity ward at West Suffolk, neonatal midwife Janie Tyler described witnessing babies being born on Christmas Day as “magic”.

“It reminds you of what Christmas is all about – the mother and the child – and I just love being here on this special day,” she said.