A Darlington mother-to-be had a New Year's Day surprise when she gave birth to her little girl more than two weeks early.

Maddison Raw was delivered by caesarean section at Darlington Memorial Hospital at 12.18pm.

The 4lb 1oz baby was not due until January 16 - the day of her mother Helen's own birthday.

"It was a bit of a shock but a really lovely surprise," said Ms Raw, 33, from Cockerton, who works as a technical advisor at Orange.

"There were complications so they induced me and I had to have a section. But getting Maddison early was a very nice start to the year."