A swanky new mother and baby unit has been named after a girl who was born in a shopping centre ten years ago.

Jan Oliver was shopping with her mum in the Eastgate Centre, Basildon town centre, on February 27, 1997, when she went into labour.

Mrs Oliver, now 45, was taken to the medical room in the old Sainsbury's Savacentre, which is now Asda, where she gave birth to Izabel.

The Eastgate centre has now named its new mother and baby unit after Izabel.

Centre manager Hans Wustefeld asked her back to officially open the state-of-the-art mother and baby unit and renovated toilets, by the dining area on the first floor.

Isabel's father Rob, 46, of Codenham Straight, Basildon, said: "I can still remember it like yesterday. My wife was out shopping, which is what she always does on a Thursday, when she realised she was going into labour.

"They took her to the medical room in the Savacentre and the paramedics arrived just in time to deliver Izabel. I got a call and managed to get down there in time to see Jan give birth too.

"Hans has always kept in touch and it was nice of him to ask Izabel back all these years later.

"She always tells her friends at school she was born in a shopping centre. I think she's quite proud of it. She certainly enjoyed all the attention at the opening."

A string quartet played as Izabel cut a ribbon to open the mother and baby unit, which has extensive bottle warming facilities, changing tables with fairy lights above that change colour to amuse the babies, and its own toilet facilities.

The toilets next door were also reopened after a £1million renovation, which has made them one of the most eco-friendly loos in the country.

All the water used by the taps and toilets comes from a tank which catches rainfall on the roof.

Mr Wustefeld said: "It was very nice to see Izabel again as the last time I saw her she was a baby. Now she is a lovely little girl and we would like to thank her for being our guest of honour."