A SERIES of amazing coincidences related to the births of their daughters has formed a special bond between two county mums.

Both women share the same birthday, they both gave birth on their birthday, both had caesarean sections, both had baby girls, and - unwittingly - both gave their daughters the same name.

Zoe Layton, from Longfellow Road, Worcester, and Jo Riddleston, of Swan Drive, Droitwich, were recovering in the two-bed post-natal ward in the Lavender Suite at Worcestershire Royal Hospital when they got talking.

"We couldn't believe the coincidences. And it wasn't just one thing we had in common, like the same birthday, but we'd both given birth to girls and we both gave them the same name, although spelt differently," said glowing mum Jo, who is married to Peter.

"To think that all that happened and then we were put in the same small room together is absolutely amazing."

Jo was the first to give birth in the early hours of Wednesday morning - her 30th birthday. Isobel Naomi Riddleston weighed in at 6Ib 2oz after an emergency caesarean because she was breech, which means the baby was not born head-first.

/ Zoe, aged 26 on the same day, had to wait a bit longer for Isabelle Emma, who came into the world through a booked caesarean at a whopping 9Ib 7oz.

"Isabelle is my second child, and they are always a bit heavier - although I have to admit that was large," said Zoe, who works part time as an estate agent.

"My youngest, Thomas, who is two, has taken to her straight away and my husband Jamie hasn't stopped grinning.

"I was hoping that I would get on well with the person in the next bed, but I never dreamt we would hit it off like we have."

Both mums were due to go home, as you would expect, on the same day and at the same time at the weekend.