LITTLE bundle of joy Penny Regina arrived into the world by extra special delivery - thanks to her Aunty Nicky!

Midwife Nicky Donaldson safely delivered her tiny 7lb 10oz niece at Sharoe Green Hospital on Valentine's Day - much to the delight of proud mum Rachel McDougall and husband-to-be Martin Child.

And Rachel, 25, had double reason to celebrate her baby daughter's birth - as she too was a Valentine's Day baby.

But she admitted she wasn't quite up to eating birthday cake when it arrived at the hospital just an hour before she gave birth.

Nicky, 29, who also delivered Rachel and Martin's first child Sophie Roberta, says she's getting quite a reputation as the family midwife.

She beamed: "Quite a few family and friends have asked me to deliver their babies for them."

And mum Rachel, of Hampshire Road, Walton-le-Dale, said having her family with her throughout her labour helped her to relax.

She said: "It gave me a lot more confidence having Nicky with me. It also helped us as a family bond with the baby." Nicky - engaged to Martin's brother Andrew - is just glad Penny arrived at a sociable hour, 11 minutes past two - as she says babies usually decide to make their appearance in the middle of the night.

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