IT WAS Christmas with a difference for twelve families at Ipswich Hospital this year when a very special present was delivered.Twelve tiny babies, arrived at Ipswich Hospital to delighted mothers and fathers who have spent the run up to the festive period in eager anticipation.

IT WAS Christmas with a difference for twelve families at Ipswich Hospital this year when a very special present was delivered.

Twelve tiny babies, arrived at Ipswich Hospital to delighted mothers and fathers who have spent the run up to the festive period in eager anticipation.

Lizzie Dearling, of Heath Road, East Bergholt, had been given a due date of December 12 for her first baby and she came into Ipswich Hospital on Sunday.

Her daughter, Jessica Frances, was born at 1.15am on Christmas Day and weighed 8lbs 2oz.

Mrs Dearling, whose husband Michael is a project manager for a games developer, said: “I hope to go home on Boxing Day and then we will have a double celebration. The staff here have been doing very, very well.”

Lucy Beamish and Colin Akinuwesi, from Lawford, were celebrating after the birth of Teagan, at Colchester General Hospital, who was born at around 7.30am. Lucy, 29, said she was happy but tired after Teagan arrived.

Proud mum, Kayleigh Brooks, 22, of Lavenham Road, Ipswich, gave birth to Baby Imogen at 3.45pm on Christmas Day weighing 8lbs 5oz. She was 15 days after her due date.

Miss Brooks said: “By the point I knew she was coming I was just grateful and I got use to the idea of having a Christmas Day baby, I think its special.”

Imogen is Miss Brooks' and father, Andrew Martin's first baby.

Tara Hammond, 19 and Martin Clement, 26 from The Glebes, in Snape, welcomed their first child, Oscar James, into the world on Christmas Day.

Baby Oscar was ten days late and finally arrived at about 7pm weighing 7lbs 2oz.

Miss Hammond said: “It was a bit of a shock, I didn't get my Christmas lunch!”

Nigel Lynch and Laura Paxton, 28, of Park Avenue, in Felixstowe, managed to have their Christmas dinner with daughter, Francesca, 2, before the arrival of their second daughter, Charlotte Eloise, who was born at about 8.50pm.

Miss Paxton said: “It was very good, we had Christmas Day lunch at about 1pm and we came to the hospital at about 7.30pm, I was getting niggles throughout the day from about 4am Christmas morning.”

Twelve babies were born in total on Christmas Day at Ipswich Hospital.

Have you had an unexpected arrival? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.