A flurry of Christmas Day babies born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital

"We're very happy to be home," said dad Jim, while mum Carolyn was looking after their newly-born daughter. "Both mother and daughter are doing very well."

Matilda arrived in this world at 3.10am on Christmas Day weighing in at 7lbs 10oz. "I can't remember how long the labour was, but it was a wonderful moment," he said. "It was lovely that Matilda was the first baby born at the hospital that day."

She is the couple's first child, and later in the day family brought over Christmas dinner for the couple to share. "Christmas Day is all about families coming together, so we spent the day getting to know each other.

"We had a lovely time at the Royal Berks and I can't speak highly enough about the midwives there. They were fantastic. They were so kind, lovely, and very entertaining too."

It was a busy day for the Royal Berkshire hospital midwives. 

The McGlones were followed three hours later by Sony Sherpa from Catherine Street, Reading, who gave birth to a little girl who weighed in at 6lbs 13oz. 

"We still haven't decided on a name," admitted dad, Rajen Yonzon. "I need to talk to my wife, and then we will talk to her parents. 

"It was a wonderful gift for us on Christmas Day. My wife went into labour at midnight and the midwife was absolutely brilliant. My daughter and wife are both very well."

Five minutes after Sony and Rajen were celebrating the birth of their daughter, the Royal Berkshire team were welcoming the arrival at 6.34am of Arabella Cooper to parents Amanda and Ryan Cooper. She weighed 8lb 14oz.

Catalina Voicu from Reading gave birth to a baby girl, Nicoleta, at 9.10am on Christmas Day, with dad Robert Mihai in attendance.

And there were also celebrations later in the day for Claire Foster and Linton Wadsworth, from Buckingham Drive in Emmer Green. They had to wait until 9.34pm for the birth of their son, Wyatt Wadsworth, who weighed 10lb 9oz.