No cheese sarnies this Crimbo!

Allan Duncan with Mayva and mum Kathryn Nunn

Mayva’s mum Kathryn Nunn and dad Allan Duncan received a surprise early Christmas present when Mayva was born at 8.20pm on December 25 weighing just 2lbs and 3oz.

The Blackpool couple had a traumatic few weeks until Mayva was eventually able to go home on Valentine’s Day.

Kathryn, who works with people with learning difficulties in Blackpool, said: “Mayva was born on Christmas Day but I wasn’t able to see her until late on Boxing Day.

“It will be lovely to have a normal Christmas this year. We are going to stay with my mum in Worksop near Sheffield this year. We’re just going to have a quiet one.”

Allan, who works as a newspaper delivery driver for The Gazette in Blackpool, said: “All we were able to do last year was sit next to Mayva’s incubator.

“Our Christmas dinner last year was cheese sandwiches that my mum made – they were quite good really!”

Kathryn felt unwell on Christmas Eve of 2014 and went to the hospital for a check-up.

She said: “Up until then I had had a completely normal pregnancy.

“The consultant who was on that day gave me a routine scan which showed that my placenta had detached and Mayva had stopped growing at 26 weeks but I was 31 weeks into the pregnancy.”

Kathryn was taken straight to the operating theatre and Mayva was born just over two hours later.

Kathryn said: “At the time I was devastated. I was crying my eyes out.

“Mayva was born with a dislocated leg. Fortunately it went back into the right position eventually.

“I had to spend four days on the Maternity Ward. It was hard seeing the other mums going home with their babies.

“The staff in the hospital were fabulous. All the nurses were brilliant. They were really supportive. I couldn’t fault them. We can’t thank everyone enough.”

Kathryn, Allan and Mayva visited the Neonatal Unit on December 10 to deliver a Christmas card and chocolates to members of staff as a thank-you for their care.

Mayva is the couple’s first child and both parents adore her: “She is lovely,” added Kathryn. “She is a very happy baby. We are very fortunate to have her.”