Families across Norfolk were given an extra reason to celebrate this Christmas as proud parents welcomed their newborn babies into the world.

%image(14987000, type="article-full", alt="Kashif Kazmi and his wife Hiba with their Christmas Day special "gift", baby Muhammad Omar who was born at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. PHOTO BY SIMON FINLAY")

Baby Macey was the first to arrive at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on Christmas day.

Michelle Stowell from Watton gave birth at 4.58am and Macey weighed 7lbs 6oz.

Kashif Kazmi and his wife, Hiba, welcomed their second child, Muhammad Omar, just an hour later at 5.55am.

Mrs Kazmi, who works as a pharmacist, was induced on Christmas Eve and the couple said they were excited about having a Christmas baby.

Mr Kazmi, 39, who works as a doctor at the N&N, said the day was special to him as it was also his brother's birthday.

'He is the perfect gift for us,' he said. 'My brother is a doctor at the World Health Organization in Pakistan and we are very close. He used to live in the UK and we graduated from the same medical college. We are friends as well as brothers.

'The fact that Muhammad was born on December 25 is even more special for me - it's a public holiday and the founder of Pakistan was born on December 25.'

The couple, who already have a son, Hussain, 14 months, knew they were expecting a baby boy.

Mrs Kazmi, 28, added: 'I wanted to know whether I needed to buy pink or blue.

'We want to thank all of the staff at the N&N, they were really really great and very supportive. We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.'

The couple plan to spend the rest of the Christmas break at their home in Threescore.

Each new arrival at the hospital's delivery unit was given a festive hat, which was knitted by the team of midwives, and their parents were given a Christmas goody bag.