A MOTHER-TO-BE has bet on her second child arriving on Christmas Day – just as her first did.

Catherine Hunter, 35, gave birth to daughter Rebecca by emergency Caesarean section on December 25, 2012, after an 18-hour labour, even though the newcomer was due on New Year’s Day.

Now, she is expecting her next arrival and has placed £50 with William Hill at odds of 25-1 that the happy day will be December 25, 2014.

Mrs Hunter said: “I just had a feeling that knowing my luck our second baby would arrive on the same day despite being due 13 days later on January 7, so I asked about the odds with William Hill.

“I was told I could have a bet at 25-1, so I’ve placed £50 on it and that would make for a great extra Christmas present.

“If we were going down the planned Caesarean route then our baby would be born around New Year’s Day, but I’ve a feeling I might have started a family tradition with Rebecca arriving on Christmas Day.

“It had to be worth a bet on lightning striking twice.

“Rebecca is our best Christmas present ever as we’d been trying for a while to have a baby."

She added: “I only ever place a bet once a year on the Grand National and now on a Christmas baby.

"I do remember backing the winner of the Grand National in 1996 when the jockey Mick Fitzgerald got in trouble with his wife for saying ‘that was better than sex’.

‘I bet on nice names and the colour of the jumpers, but neither my husband James or I know if we’ll need pink or blue for the next baby.

“Everybody says they think it’s going to be a boy, but we’re not betting on that.”

Mrs Hunter and mechanic husband James, also 35, will put away any winnings for their children’s future.

William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: "Why would you ask about an earlier Christmas Day birth?

“But surely Santa can’t deliver a double on the big day?”