CHRISTMAS Day 2018 will always hold a special place in the hearts of some Oxfordshire parents after they received the most unforgettable gift.

As residents across the county were tearing open their presents and preparing the turkey, exhausted mums and dads were celebrating the birth of their newborn children at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

The atmosphere was as festive inside the hospital as outside, with midwives donning tinsel and Santa hats to welcome the new arrivals.

Blake Samworth was born at 7.07am, weighing 8lb 2oz, and dad Ryan said the festivities added a new dimension to the occasion.

He said: "It was weird spending Christmas Day in a hospital, it definitely felt a bit different.

"But there was definitely a festive atmosphere - all the midwives were wearing tinsel and bells."

Mr Samworth, 28, added the birth was 'perfect' for wife Annabel, 26, and they are spending today at home in Carterton with Blake and their two-year-old, Harley.

Possibly the day's earliest arrival was young Noah Taylor, who was born at 1.20am, weighing 6lbs 14oz.

Mum Megan Hill, 23, admitted she and fiancée Joshua Taylor, 24, had hoped the birth of their first son would not clash with Christmas Day.

The Botley resident was positive about the birth, but revealed she was preparing herself for some busy festive periods in years to come.

She said: "It was quicker than I expected but it went really well.

"He was due on the 28th and we wanted to avoid Christmas Day, but that obviously didn't happen.

"Christmas next year is going to be a crazy day."

The couple did not arrive home with Noah until 10.30am this morning and were hoping for a quieter day after a hectic 24 hours.

She said: "It's all a bit of a blur at the moment. We had a lot of visitors at the hospital yesterday, but now it's about seeing family and hopefully catching up on some sleep."

Noah and Blake find themselves in esteemed company, with Office of National Statistics data revealing December 25 and 26 are the least popular days to give birth in England and Wales.

Between 1995 and 2014, 1,400 births occurred on Christmas Day and Boxing Day on average, down on the figure of 1,800 for the rest of the year.

Six of the 10 least popular dates of birth fall in the Christmas and New Year period.

Oxford University Hospitals did not say how many babies were born at the John Radcliffe on Christmas Day.