WHILE many people were tucking into their Christmas dinner, one Basingstoke family welcomed the best present they could have asked for.

Arjun Thampi entered the world at Basingstoke hospital at 4.20pm on Christmas Day, weighing a healthy 8lbs 1oz.

The new arrival was the third child, and the first son, for proud parents Sobha Rajesh and Rajesh Thampi as well as a younger brother for the couple’s two daughters, Lona, nine, and six-year-old Sona.

For mum Sobha, the birth marked the end of an anxious wait as little Arjun took an extra four days from the expected due date to make his appearance – the first overdue baby the couple have had.

Thirty-four-year-old Sobha, who celebrated her birthday two days after the arrival of her son, began experiencing contractions at the family’s home in Abbey Road, Popley, at around 11am on Christmas Day and the couple decided to go to Basingstoke hospital – and just four hours and 20 minutes later, Arjun arrived.

Sobha told The Gazette: “It has been an anxious wait so we were really excited to get him out – and I am very excited to have our first boy.”

Proud father Rajesh, 41, who is a nurse at Basingstoke hospital, added: “It was really exciting and our friends were just as excited as we were. I am very excited to have our first boy.

“My friends said the whole world will celebrate Arjun’s birthday. Next year, we plan to have a nice, big celebration for him.”

The couple told The Gazette that their daughters Lona and Sona were excited to see their young brother when he was taken home on Boxing Day and have been singing lullabies to Arjun.

In total, three babies were born under the care of staff in the maternity unit team at Basingstoke hospital on Christmas Day.