FAMILY and friends gave a couple expecting their first child a baby shower to remember after lockdown forced plans to be cancelled.

The coronavirus pandemic has seen plans to celebrate weddings, anniversaries and birthdays dashed.

But people have found novel ways to mark big occasions from a safe distance.

Happy couple Hannah Jordan and Grant Smith, both 26, are due to welcome the arrival of their first child, a baby boy, in six weeks.

Hannah had arranged for a party with friends and family to mark the occasion, but was forced to cancel when lockdown measures were put in place.

But undeterred mum Shauna decided to arrange a surprise baby shower for the couple all while observing social distancing.

She said: “When we were talking about baby showers, she had said she didn’t really want just girls there, she wanted all friends and family.

“A party had been organised at a nice venue in West Bergholt.

“One of her uncles plays in a band, he was going to play to mark the occasion.

“Hannah is always the person to organise everything for everyone else - when I turned 50 she organised a big bash for me.

“With all this cancelled, we just thought we wanted to do something for her.

“We had also organised a baby shower at my house as a surprise for her.

“We had to cancel that one as well.”

Shauna, together with a team of loving family members from far and wide, decided to stage a drive-by baby shower for the couple.

“We started contacting people from April 1 and decided to do a drive-by baby shower, where people can drive past and say hello from a safe distance,” she said.

“Everyone had a 15 minute slot.

“We messaged people on Facebook so they could let me know when they were coming.”

Family from as far away as Cornwall and Kent, who could not attend in person, got in touch with the couple through a video call.

Hannah’s goddaughter Sophia Redford, age six, and her mother Melissa Conquest, could also not make the trip to as Sophia is vulnerable and must isolate.

The pair crafted a beautiful banner to be used during the baby shower and checked in via a video call.

Shauna’s partner Darrin Sadler decided to decorate their car with balloons and a sign for the colourful drive-by.

Braintree and Witham Times:

Around 15 people carried out drive-by greetings across the day.

Checking in with the delighted couple were work colleagues, aunts, uncles, nieces and grandparents.

Grant’s sisters Alana and Sabrina helped to organise the event.

Shauna said: “When Hannah came round the corner she just cried, just got out the van and couldn’t believe her eyes.

“We maintained social distancing, had gloves and anti-bacterial gel.”