IT WAS a bumper Christmas Day at Worcestershire Royal Hospital this year, with 14 babies welcomed into the world.

And for Priscillah Chiwelshe it was extra special, with her own birthday falling on the same day as new baby daughter Taneal who arrived at 3.43am on Monday, weighing seven pounds and five ounces.

“Her due date was the nineteenth of December,” said Mrs Chiwelshe, who now has three children. “I think she was holding on to come on Christmas.

“In my family we have three Christmas birthdays – my brother, who is eight years younger than me, was born on Christmas Day as well.”

Ewa, 30, and Tim Weaver, 45, welcomed baby Zoe at 8.12pm, weighing eight pounds.

“It was at eight o’clock in the evening, so she just sneaked in,” said Mr Weaver.

“Up until Christmas Eve we thought it was still going to be a week away.

“It was one o’clock in the morning on Christmas Day the waters broke and that was it then; our Christmas was basically here the whole time, but we don’t mind.

“We’ve still got a turkey sitting at home, but we opened all the presents on Christmas Eve,” he added.

Jemma White’s baby daughter Elva Rose weighed in at six pounds and six ounces, though wasn’t due until Tuesday, January 2.

Asked if it was the best Christmas present she could’ve asked for, Ms White said: “I wouldn’t say labour is the best Christmas present, but the end result is.”

Having arrived at the hospital at exactly midnight on Monday, baby Elva Rose was delivered just one hour and 34 minutes later.

Other Christmas Day arrivals included Halema Sallehia’s new baby boy, who has not been named yet, but mum said three-year-old Afsa was delighted to have a little brother.

Zofia Gewont also gave birth to daughter Eva at 3.10pm and Katrina Franklin welcomed daughter Ebony-Rose at 1.08pm.

The first mum to give birth on Christmas Day at the hospital was Agnieska Bienieh, whose new baby came at 20 seconds after midnight, though she was having a much-deserved sleep when we visited.