A GIRL born on Christmas Day 16 years ago says she has grown to love her festive birthday.

Lauren Bishop, of Coolgardie Avenue, Chigwell, made the front page of the Guardian in 1994 when she was born at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow.

The pupil at Trinity Catholic High School in Woodford Green celebrated her 16th birthday on Monday at Club One9Five in Epping.

“I like it because everyone's always happy on my birthday,” she said. “After our turkey, we have a birthday cake and a Christmas pudding. Christmas doesn't get pushed out of the way.

“Everyone's been really excited (about the party) and I don't think it makes a difference that it's at Christmas.”

Her mother, Moira Bishop, said: “We always make a point of celebrating her birthday the weekend before Christmas, so it's special.

“It's difficult when you're a Christmas baby because you get all your presents at one time of year.”

She said she had not been due to give birth to Lauren until January, but she had gone into labour two days before Christmas and was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital, where the staff brought some festive cheer to the maternity ward.

“The chief executive of the hospital came around dressed as Father Christmas and the nurses dressed as pixies,” she said.

“Lauren was born at 3am on Christmas morning and we brought her home on Christmas Day.”

Mrs Bishop added that her husband Carl's family had a history of seasonal birthdays, with his falling on Christmas Eve and his father's on December 22.

“There is quite a tradition in his family of having babies around Christmas,” she said. “I was determined not to become a part of that, but nature took its course.”