Mel Gibson is an “incredible” and “hands-on” father to his new baby daughter.

The actor – whose girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva gave birth to Lucia Anne on October 30 - has been praised for his excellent parenting skills despite only spending three days with his newborn because of work commitments. Oksana revealed:

“Mel’s very hands-on. He was amazing while he was here for a short visit. He has been very doting and nurturing. He is incredible with children, very kind.

“He’s an amazing person and he treats everybody equally. That’s what I know. I know him as a very kind and generous person, embracing his friends and family. He’s tremendous as a dad, unbelievable.

“He’s ecstatic. He is very much in love with her already. She just wins people’s hearts, she’s so beautiful and tiny.”

The 53-year-old actor was forced to take a break from his upcoming film ‘The Beaver’ as he rushed to Los Angeles to be at Oksana’s hospital side when she went into labor a month early.

Although he missed the birth, he arrived a few hours later and spent three days with his new family before returning to the film set last Monday. Oksana explained to Britain’s Hello! magazine:

“I was at home then I got rushed into hospital and, eight hours later, I could look at her beautiful face. Mel came just a few hours later because he had to fly from New York.”

Russian singer Oksana also admitted their relationship is still going strong.

“We’ve always been very spiritually connected and emotionally, too. We’ve always been very close.

“Having children is an overwhelming feeling, beautiful.”

The 'Braveheart' star already has six sons and a daughter with former wife Robyn - who filed for divorce in April this year after 28 years of marriage - while Oskana has a 12-year-old son Alexander with actor Timothy Dalton.