"Best Christmas present ever" as Leeds mum has baby three weeks early

She was due on January 19 but had already been letting mother Gemma Moss know that she was around.

For two weeks Miss Moss, of St Hilda's Place, Cross Green had been in a slow labour but went to St James' Hospital on Monday with strong contractions and the baby was born at 3.33am on December 25 weighing in at 6lb, 8oz.

She is being cared for in the neo-natal unit at the hospital as she is suffering from jaundice but is expected to be allowed home at the weekend while Miss Moss, 21, is set to be discharged tonight so she and partner Harry Farnham, 19, can go home and have a belated Christmas day celebration with their two older children aged four and three.

Miss Moss said: "She is doing okay, she has a bit of jaundice but that is common in a premature baby and hopefully she can come home on Sunday. Having a Christmas baby was not something I had thought of. I did think she might be a couple of weeks early but that it might be around new year.

"The boys were at their grandma's for Christmas so finding out they have a little sister I am hoping will be good for them. It has all been worth it and she is the best Christmas present ever. I am relieved she is here and everything is okay."

Father, Harry Farnham, who works for t-shirt printing company, said after his partner went into hospital on Monday and the contractions started getting stronger on the Tuesday, he thought Arabella might be born on Christmas Eve.

He added: "It is a great Christmas present. Once we get discharged we will bring the boys to the hospital and take them home for our Christmas with them - we managed to sort the presents out last night."