Festive drama in a toy room as Joel is born (From Warrington Guardian)

Festive drama in a toy room as Joel is born

CHRISTMAS Day baby Joel was born in a toy room, not a stable. And instead of three wise men he had a nan jumping around with excitement, a nervous dad and a patient paramedic for company.

"It was mad. I just didn't know what to do," said dad Kevin Raven.

Kevin and wife Rachael had gone to bed on Christmas Eve when the events unfolded.

"We got up at about 1am because the pains were coming thick and fast," said Rachael, of Poplar Avenue.

Little Joel was born in only 15 minutes, weighing 7lb 7oz.

"It was quick and I didn't have any pain relief," she said. "It was painful but I just had to get on with it."

Amazingly, the couple's four-year-old son Tom was born on Christmas Day as well. Only paramedic Roy Cadwallader arrived in time to help deliver Joel.

He said: "Mum was very calm, she accepted my instructions and then nature took over.

"I think they did admirably well. Fortunately the baby was born healthy with no problems whatsoever.

"Dad was over the moon but what entertained me greatly was that both nans were jumping around the room with big cheesy grins - I have never seen anything like it. They couldn't get the smiles off their faces."

Kevin, a postman, said: "There was no room on the floor because all his toys were there so we just had to step around them."

"The paramedic was great, just taking control of the situation."

Even young Tom came to watch after hearing the screams - although he found the birth scary.

Rachael, who works for Atos Origin in Daresbury, didn't need to go to hospital.

After the drama the family came down and opened their presents and were back to bed at 7.30am as most people were waking up.

The couple, both 30, plan to have summer parties for Tom and Joel.

Kevin said: "It's a bit mad about them both being born at Christmas.

"Everybody kept saying we should have put a bet on that it was going to happen again - and we should have.

"It was nice in the end to have him at home but it was worrying because we wanted all the back up in case anything went wrong and we hadn't planned for it."