By Jenni Horn

The best present you could get. That’s how new dad Kevin Coulter described his little bundle of joy who arrived just in time for Christmas Day at 11.31 on December 25.

Tommy Robert was born at Medway Maritime Hospital five weeks early, weighing 4lb 5oz.

Mum Nicola Coulter, 34, of Gadby Road, Sittingbourne, said: "It was a bit of a shock."

Dad Kevin, 33, added: "It was definitely a Christmas we won’t forget. It’s the best present ever."

The first Sittingbourne baby born on Christmas Day was Joseph Terry Shepherd, born to Emily and Terry Shepherd. He was born at 2.24am weighing 8lb 2oz, a week early.

Emily, 24, said: "His big brother Ashley, who is seven, had already told me he thought the baby would arrive on Christmas Day. He is over the moon."

Dad Terry, 30, said: "We had already thought of Joseph for his name but we weren’t sure because our surname is Shepherd. But when he arrived on Christmas Day, we knew we had to call him that."

"We have already decided we will celebrate his birthday on our wedding anniversary in August each year so he doesn’t miss out."

Also born on Christmas Day was Erin Elizabeth Hoult. She was born at 2.40pm, weighing 4lb 14oz. Mum and Dad are Lydia and Sam Hoult, from Milton Regis, Sittingbourne. Lydia, 30, went into labour at 1am on Christmas Day, three weeks early.

Sam, 28, said: "We had planned to have a quiet day on our own because we knew it would be the last Christmas with just the two of us, but someone obviously had different ideas. She surprised us all."