Gavin Willard was in such a hurry to make an entrance into the world he didn't even wait until his mother got to hospital.

The youngster was born in an ambulance en route from his parents' home in Sompting to Worthing Hospital, weighing 5lb 12oz.

His mother Sarah, 41, had been experiencing pains and contractions on and off for the last week and had just returned home after another visit.

But before she could get in the door, the contractions started again in earnest and an ambulance was called.

Her partner Gavin Stephenson followed the ambulance in his car but by the time he got to the hospital, his son had already been born at 10.37am today.

Ms Willard, who has three other children, Charlenne, 20, John, 18, and two-year-old Victoria, said: "I am really grateful to the ambulance crew and I know I gave them such a shock.

"Everyone has been wonderful and I am now looking forward to getting Gavin back home."

Gavin wasn't the only baby in a hurry on new year's day.

Alexander Nicol was clearly determined to give himself a date of birth to remember by making an unexpected appearance almost two weeks before his due date.

The youngster was born at 1.31am on new year's day in the peaceful and calm surroundings of his parent's home in Brighton.

His mother Ella Nicol, 30, a charity worker, started having contractions at around 8pm on Monday night and the call went out to the midwives based at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

All went well as the midwives arrived at the family home in Dyke Road and a few hours later Alexander came along weighing a healthy 8lb 5oz.

Ella and her partner Andy De Roeck, 25, a software developer, decided a month or so ago that Alexander, their first child, would be born at home.

She said: "The closer it got to the time, the more I felt I would prefer to be at home in more relaxing surroundings than at hospital.

"It just felt right and everything went really smooth and well, even though Alexander decided he was in a bit of a hurry."

Maternity units across Sussex reported a steady run in the early hours of new year's day with most sites reporting just two or three births.

Little Miranda Brown took her time coming into world, eventually arriving at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath after 30 hours of labour.

However she was still one of the earliest babies to be born in Sussex at 1.03am, weighing 7lb 4oz.

The youngster will also be even more special to her maternal grandmother who won a bet with her husband that Miranda would be born on new year's day.

Proud parents, Sophie, 33, and Paul, 35, from Burgess Hill, are delighted with their new arrival and looking forward to going home.

Sophie, who works as a decorator for theatre sets, went into labour on Sunday afternoon but it was a long time before Miranda finally decided to appear.

Sophie said: "The staff here were fantastic. It was a long labour but everyone was brilliant."

Paul, who works in the props workshop for the Glyndebourne Opera, said: "This unit has been terrific. We can't thank the staff enough."

Zoe, 32, and Stephen Stanford, 33, from Lewes, are celebrating the arrival of their young son, who was born at the Princess Royal by caesarean section at 5.30am, weighing 7lb 12oz.

The youngster has a big sister, Enya, four, but his parents have not decided on a name for him yet.

Zoe said: "They have been very good to me here. I woke up at 3am and realised he was coming and we whisked into hospital and had the caesarean.

"It all went well. I'll have to stay in for a couple of days but hopefully we should all be home soon."

Zoe will have no problems looking after her new son as she has plenty of experience with children through her job as a nanny.

Over at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester the first arrival was Daisy Cotty, who was born at 5.56am, weighing 7lb 6oz.

Her proud parents Sarah and Neil come from Chichester.

At 6.12am Oliver Bicknell was born weighing 7lb 6oz and his parents Katie Bicknell and Damien Strange are looking forward to taking him back to their home in Petworth.

And at 6.16am Rosina Butler arrived in the world weighing 8lb 12oz. Her parents Laura and Kenny also come from Chichester.

Over in Eastbourne, one of the first arrivals was Grace Glass, who was born at 1.16am, weighing 7lb 15oz.

Her parents Claire Glass and Scott Walker come from Eastbourne.

Two babies were born in the early hours at the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards.

They were little Maia Bryant, who weighed 6lb 8oz, whose mother Christina comes from Hastings, and Morgan Twine, who weighed 8lb 5oz and whose parents are Layla and David.