A BABY who was born in the back of a car has celebrated her first birthday.

Eva McCann hit the headlines last year after she was born in the back of her grandparents' car.

Louise McCann went into labour and was on her way to Whipps Cross Hospital when she ended up giving birth in her mum and dad's Ford Focus.

The 22-year-old, of Hillside Avenue, Woodford Green, said: "It's been great, the past year has really changed my life and having Eva has really made me realise how much my mum and dad do for me."

Lesly McCann, Eva's doting grandmother, said it had been a whirlwind year.

She said: "It's been exciting and hectic. It's been one long follow on from the quick way Eva came.

"It's like all of a sudden she was here and although none of us remember what it was like without her, the year has gone so quickly it's untrue."

Mrs McCann said the family are probably due a new car but they are reluctant to sell it for sentimental reasons.

Eva, who celebrated her first birthday on June 15, took her first steps on Sunday at the Royston Arms pub in South Chingford while the family were having a meal.

Miss McCann, who works at Busy Bees nursery in Chingford, said: "A friend went to pick Eva up and she is quite clingy at the moment because she is teething, so she walked towards me.

"It was really nice and really exciting and Eva was just looking at us like she didn't know what all the fuss was about."

Eva was christened at St Paul's Church in Woodford Bridge in May and she celebrated her first birthday with a visit to Colchester Zoo.

The tot is clearly a huge fan of animals as Mrs McCann said her dog, two-year-old dogue de Bordeaux called Treacle, and Eva have become inseparable.

She said: "We have gates everywhere in the house but they have learnt how to undo them.

"They love each other. If Eva is upstairs asleep and Treacle is downstairs, the dog comes and gets me or makes noise if Eva wakes up.

"Treacle will keep on at me until I go and see to Eva. Between the two of them they have their own language."

Eva entered the world close to the Charlie Brown roundabout in Woodford at about 6.30pm.

She weighed in at 5lb and now weighs 19lb.

Miss McCann said: "It's funny because my friends don't call it the Charlie Brown roundabout anymore. If they're coming to see me and they phone, they'll say they are at Eva's roundabout."

She and her partner Joe Tompkins are both living with their parents for now and are saving to buy a place of their own.

There are no plans for anymore children right now and Miss McCann said :"If I have another one I think I will make sure I am at the hospital in plenty of time."