We asked readers to get in touch if they had recently become parents and these bundles of delight were all born at Colchester General Hospital.

Abigail Freer dropped us a line and while there was thankfully a happy ending, she admitted her labour was “traumatic”.

Her baby, James William Freer, was born prematurely and weighed just 5lb.

Abigail said: “James was born after three days of failed induction and eventually a C-section on the fourth day.

“He was premature and born with clubfoot (a condition in which a newborn’s foot or feet appear rotated internally at the ankle).

“It was a very traumatic time that I had to deal with on my own, due to Covid restrictions.”

Little James was born on November 27.

Another James born recently was James Bent, who only just arrived before the turn of 2021.

He arrived at Colchester on December 30, weighing a shade over 8lb. Proud mum Gabriela Ene dropped us a line and said she was hugely grateful to staff at the hospital.

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Jesse Rex Blenkarn was born on December 1, weighing 7lb 12oz.

Mum Fleur Travis said: “Luckily, I was ready to push on arriving at hospital.

“It meant my partner could come straight in and, two and a quarter hours, Jesse was born.

“The midwives were amazing and I felt completely at ease, considering the circumstances.”

Also congratulations to Rebecca Young, who sent a picture of her little girl, Millie-Louise Jessica Warner, enjoying the Christmas lights.

Millie-Louise was born on October 22 and weighed 6lb 11oz.

Harry John Boyle, meanwhile, was born at Colchester on November 21, weighing 8lb 3oz.

He is baby number five for Clacton’s Lorraine and David Boyle and a little brother for Evie, 14, Sophie, 12, Seth, five, and Emily, 16 months.