While Hurricane Gonzalo pummelled Bermuda with dangerous winds and torrential rain one couple had their minds on other things — the birth of their first child.

James P Mill came into the world at 7.15pm on Friday while Gonzalo was beginning to flex its considerable muscles.

Although he was born just under a month earlier than expected, little James weighed in at 5lb 2oz. His proud parents, Dominique Poirier and Felix Mill-Plourde, are looking forward to taking him home today.

Ms Poirier, 32, went into labour at around 7am on Friday and was rushed into hospital from the family home in Paget.

She said: “I was lucky because Felix was at home due to the incoming hurricane and so he could help me get ready.

“We were not expecting the baby to arrive until November 12 so we did not have all our stuff together.

“We called the ambulance and went into the hospital together.

“Fortunately at that time in the morning the hurricane was still quite a way off, so there were no really strong winds.”

By the time baby James made his appearance Bermuda was beginning to be lashed with intense hurricane-force winds.

Mr Mill-Plourde, 28, said: “We did not even hear the winds.

“The birthing room was in the middle of the maternity ward so we were really well protected.

“We had electricity throughout and the staff were fantastic to us. We even managed to get a bit of sleep while the hurricane was hitting Bermuda.”

Ms Poirier added: “We are so very happy to become parents for the first time.

“James is doing well and he seems pretty calm for a baby that arrived in the middle of a storm.

“To be honest we did not realise how bad the storm was and the only thing we could really see from our window was a string outside blowing backward and forwards.”

Ms Poirier was one of around 20 mothers-to-be that were boarded at King Edward VII Hospital during Hurricane Gonzalo as a precaution.

The French Canadian couple arrived in Bermuda just four months ago.

Mr Mill-Plourde, who works for Argus, said: “I would have considered the name of the hurricane as a possible name for our son, but not Gonzalo. It just did not seem right.”