Extra special Christmas present for Chapel-en-le-Frith parents

Arthur David Grae Burnell was born three days late at 12.36pm on Christmas Day.

New mum Hayley Burnell said the family arrived home from hospital with a Christmas dinner, made by her mother-in-law, waiting in the oven for them.

The 34-year-old said: “It hasn’t really sunk in he was born on Christmas Day and what that will mean in years to come but for now I’m just so glad he’s here.”

The little bundle of joy was due on December 22 but decided to keep Hayley and dad Mark Burnell waiting.

Hayley said: “I was sitting on my pregnancy ball opening presents when I started to get contractions.

"I was planning a home birth in a water pool but things don't always go to plan."

Hayley’s labour advanced so quickly that the midwife had not yet arrived to help with delivery and the couple thought they should ring an ambulance just in case.

Hayley said: “The person on the phone was prepping Mark to deliver the baby asking him to get towels and a shoelace.

"Everything was happening so fast.”

The ambulance turned up and took the first-time parents to Stepping Hill Hospital arriving at 11am.

Less than 90 minutes later Arthur arrived weighing 7lb 5oz.

Hayley said: “Labour went from zero to 100 in the blink of an eye and until the ambulance crew arrived I hadn’t had any pain medication so it really was a struggle for me to keep going."

The family, from South Head Drive, Chapel, said they were offered a Christmas dinner at the hospital but Hayley said she was too exhausted to eat.

As both mum and baby were fit and healthy they were discharged around 6pm and made their way home.

Hayley said: “We are still adjusting to a new way of life and we are both still getting to know one and other.

"He’s never been here in the world before and I’ve never been a mummy before.

"He really is the most perfect Christmas present though.”

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