A number of local families had an extra special reason to celebrate the festive season – with the arrival of a Christmas Day baby.

Little Annabel Levinsohn was due on December 21 but decided to wait until 40 minutes into Christmas Day to make her arrival at home.

She was born to Rachel and Matt, who live in Muscliff.

Matt said: “She is lovely and is spending a lot of time sleeping at the moment.” Annabel weighed 9Ib, 7oz.

The final arrival of the day at Poole was a week ahead of schedule.

Harry, born at 20.46 to Laura Blackwell and Andrew McGill of Blandford weighed in at 6lb 6oz.

He due to on New Year’s Day, so it was an early celebration.

“He chose to arrive a week early and catch us on the hop said Laura.”

She added: “My other half is a big fan of Tottenham and of Harry Redknapp who was the manager until a few months ago so we named the little one after him.”

Mike and Louisa Fisher are taking home a very special present this Christmas – their first baby, Holly.

The tot, who weighed 6lb 10oz when she was born at Poole Hospital, is believed to be the first baby born in the area on Christmas Day, arriving at 12.47am.

But although she was in time for Christmas, Holly was a late arrival, as her due date was December 18.

New dad Mike, 35, said: “She is very, very cute, and we’re absolutely delighted.”

The couple picked the name Holly for a girl because of the month of her birth, without realising she would arrive on Christmas Day.

“We thought we were going to have a boy, but at the same time we were hoping for a cheeky little girl,” said Mike.

A baby boy was born at 11.32 to Rachana Singh and Sanjeev Verma of Redhill.

First-time mum Christine Squibb, 34, didn’t have such a long wait to meet her new arrival – Evelyn Rose was born after just four hours.

The newborn arrived at 4.34am weighing a healthy 7lb 4oz, and dad James Spokes, 32, said she is a wonderful surprise.

“All the way through, we were expecting a boy,” he said.

“It was a bit of a shock when it all happened. She was in a rush – she wasn’t due until December 28, but she must have wanted to be out in time for Christmas.”

Evelyn Rose is already attracting attention from some delighted visitors.

“My parents came to see her, as did Chris’s, and it was very emotional,” said James.

Rikki Elms and Matt Cheeseman from West Moors welcomed baby Charlie into the world early on Christmas morning but still made it back in time to enjoy the day with family.

Rikki, 27, gave birth at 4.27am at Poole hospital but was out by 10am so their daughter Olivia could meet her new brother, who weighed in at 6lb 13oz “We are really pleased,” Rikki said.

“We were keen to get home for Olivia and went to see parents for the rest of the day.”

Samuel James Burch made it into the world on Christmas day despite his mum asking him to wait.

He was due on Sunday but mum Laura, 30, a solicitor from Ferndown, gave birth at 10.09am at Poole hospital with her husband Simon, 25, at her side.

He weighed in at 6lb 13oz and they decided on a biblical name as they are both Christians.

“I kept telling him not to come out on Christmas day and he decided to anyway – but by the end I didn’t really care,” Laura joked.

“So if he complains about having a rubbish birthday it’s his own fault.”

See all our pictures of Christmas Day babies here