PROUD grandma Maureen Hesmondhalgh was one of the first on the scene after her soap star daughter Julie gave birth to a bouncing baby daughter.

Julie, who plays sex-swap Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, was taken into Tameside Hospital in Manchester where 10lb 8oz Martha Mo was delivered by Caesarean section. And grandma and grandad John were at her bedside that very afternoon.

"They are both doing fine," reported Maureen who lives in Church. "We couldn't wait to get there last week and see our newest grandchild."

Julie and her partner, actor Ian Kershaw, had wanted a home birth but complications due to Martha Mo's size forced a change of plan.

"The baby got in to difficulties and Julie accepted straight away that she had to go in for the birth," said that there were no problems."

Maureen and John already have two grandchildren, Rosa and Joe, who live with son David and his wife Helen in Oxford.

Julie, 30, spends most of her time in Manchester but she and Ian also have a flat in London.

She is expected to return to Coronation Street in January.

Julie's career as an actress stems from her time as a member of the Oswaldtwistle Players and a student on an A-level theatre course at Rossendale College.

Despite her tremendous success, she has always maintained an interest in local theatre.

Julie recently attended an event to celebrate the success of the Red brick Theatre Appeal which will see the Thwaites Theatre open in Bolton Road, Blackburn.

Julie talked then of her impending motherhood and said she feared she would be a "soft touch".