ANOTHER contender has come forward for the title of Ipswich's youngest grandmother.Veronica Hicks, 32, became a proud grandparent in August when her daughter Christina, 16, gave birth to baby Jessica.

ANOTHER contender has come forward for the title of Ipswich's youngest grandmother.

Veronica Hicks, 32, became a proud grandparent in August when her daughter Christina, 16, gave birth to baby Jessica.

The Evening Star reported on Michelle Crispin, 36, of Fitzwilliam Close, Stoke Park, on Friday and asked, is this one of the youngest grandmothers in town?

A friend of Mrs Hicks' read the story and knew that although Mrs Crispin may well be one of the youngest, she certainly wasn't the youngest.

Mrs Hicks, of Felix Road, Ipswich, said: “A couple of years ago I would not have expected that I was going to end up a nan at this age - I don't feel any older since Jessica was born.

“She is a beautiful baby - I did not worry too much about Christina having a child of her own so young, as I was only 15 myself when she was born.

“She has been a bit of a tearaway when she was younger but she really seems to have settled down, and turned her life around.”

Christina has now moved away from home and lives at Peppercorn Way with her partner, Philip Mumberson, who moved from London to be with her and their baby.

And the baby's great grandmother and great-great grandmother are Joy Croucher, 47, and Ada Stokes, 75, both of Norwich Road, Ipswich.

But although she has a big family to count on for support, Mrs Hicks is keen that Christina will be the full-time mother to her child.

She said: “I will always be there for her with help and advice, or suggestions if I think of something that Christina may have forgotten.

“But I was a teenage mother myself and I often wanted to go out with my friends - I would ask my mum to look after Christina for the night and she would normally tell me 'no'.

“It might have seemed horrible at the time but now I see it was the right thing to do - a mother has to bring her child up her own way.”

Do you know a younger grandmother? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.