While New Year celebrations were in full swing as the clock ticked over into 2019, one Loddon family had other ideas.

Vicky, 32, and Nathan Darnell, 38, raced to the James Paget Hospital after the heavily pregnant mother-to-be went into labour at midnight, four days earlier than planned.

The proud parents showed off their newborn son James on New Year’s Day after he became the first baby to be born at the Gorleston hospital in 2019.

She said: “It’s quite overwhelming, but it’s just amazing and he’s just perfect. I feel great, but so tired.

“He’s our first born, but he wasn’t due until January 5, so it was a bit of a surprise. If anything I thought he’d be late.

“I am born on Valentine’s Day so it’s easy for Nathan now.”

James was born at 5am, and Mr Darnell said: “It all started right at midnight when her water broke, so it was a frantic start to the new year.

“Now he will always have a birthday party.

“When the chimes go at midnight for the New Year, we’ll always think of him.

“I did think he might come on Christmas Day so we got the next best thing.

Two hours later, the newborn was joined by Violet Slater, born to Bradwell couple Tanya and Karl Slater.

The proud mother, 26, said: “It still doesn’t feel real, and I’m very overwhelmed by it all, but she is so lovely.

“It has been crazy but I just could not stop staring at her. She is just lush.

“She wasn’t due until January 6, but she decided to come on New Year’s Day, which is lovely. What a day to have as a birthday, and she’ll always have a party to go to.

“I thought she might be a bit early but we were glad to get Christmas out of the way first, although it was quite touch and go if she would come on New Year’s Eve or in 2019.

“It was a long process, and I went into labour 46 hours before she came out, so it was far from the smoothest of experiences, but the midwives were just brilliant and amazing.

“We didn’t know she was going to be a girl, so it was nice to have that surprise, especially after such a long ordeal.”