Christmas Day delivery and home for lunch!

Lawrence Longley was born at 12.10am on Christmas Day at Calderdale Royal Hospital, in Halifax, but was back home in Mirfield in time for lunch.

Midwives told proud parents Michael Longley, 42, and Natalie Armstrong, 38, that their son could be a contender for the first Christmas Day baby in the country.

Mr Longley, of Sunnybank Way, said: “We were told that Lawrence was certainly the first in Yorkshire. They thought he could be the first in the country. You’d do well to beat 10 minutes.

“Lawrence was due on December 27 so we always knew it was going to be close to Christmas.

“Natalie went for a scan and to be on the safe side they said they were inducing her. Of the dates we were given as options, Christmas Eve was the only possibility.”

At 11pm on Christmas Eve, it looked like Lawrence’s arrival was still a long way off.

“They said I could disappear but luckily I held on for another hour,” Mr Longley said.

“It was all very sudden.”

Little Lawrence, who weighed in at 6lb 10oz, is now settling in at home and getting to know his brothers and sister.

Company director Mr Longley has three other children, Luke, 23, Ellie, 14, and Edd, 11.

Ms Armstrong, who is a professional nanny, has a seven-year-old son, Al.

Mr Longley said: “The family are over the moon. They’re thrilled to bits.

“It’s certainly made Christmas all that more special. It’s been fantastic.”

Meanwhile, midwives at Dewsbury and District Hospital delivered six babies on Christmas Day, including a baby girl to a Batley family at 12.27am and a baby girl to a Dewsbury family at 1.27am.