Christmas Day was a busy time for the nurses on Burnley General Hospital's delivery suite, with four babies sharing the limelight before the turkey dinner was even cooked.

As most people slept off their Christmas Eve hangovers, new mum Audrey Lewis and her partner Howard, of Woodland View, Bacup, had already been handed their best Christmas present.

Their first baby Joshua Meadowcroft arrived two weeks earlier than expected at 4.45 on Christmas morning, weighing 8lbs 7oz.

At 6.35am and weighing half as much as Joshua, the midwives delivered tiny Layla Frances Hare.

Mum Mary Nicholls and her partner Jonathan Hare, of the Burnley Wood area of Burnley, were delighted to see their baby girl for the first time after Mary had been in labour for two days.

Layla arrived a week early and weighed 4lb 7oz. Mary, who already has a 14-year-old and a 13-year-old son, said: "She was supposed to arrive the day before New Year but I managed to crack it before Christmas.

"The good thing is that Ive got it all out of the way now and can have a party for New Year now."

Both mums are now having a well earned rest in the Davidson Ward before they begin their belated festive celebrations with their friends and family.