East Lancashire dad delivers baby on way to hospital (From This Is Lancashire)

East Lancashire dad delivers baby on way to hospital

5:30pm Tuesday 26th October 2010 in News By Wendy Barlow, Court reporter

A DAD was left literally holding the baby after his daughter was born in the footwell of his car.

The little girl was not for waiting as her parents, Rachel Cornwell and Matthew Waddington, tried to make it to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Matters got worse when Matthew got stuck in a traffic jam in the morning rush-hour.

But he managed to pull off the main road, run around to the passenger side of the vehicle and catch the baby as she made her speedy entrance into the world.

She was then put safely on to her mum’s tummy while the pair were checked out by passing hospital medic Dr Helen Turner.

She had spotted the roadside drama last Thursday, had done a swift U-turn and gone back to help.

The 7lb 6oz youngster, who has not yet been named, is a sister for the couple’s two-year-old twins, Martha and Wilfred.

Rachel, 32, who is a section manager in the offices at Burnley Crown Court, was then taken to hospital by ambulance and was back home at Osborne Terrace in Rawtenstall, with Matthew, 38, and their family by teatime.

Rachel, who realised she was in labour at about 6am, had hoped to give birth at Burnley General Hospital, which is nearer their home.

She rang staff there and explained she had given birth to the twins quickly.

Rachel said she understood the unit was full and she was told she would probably have to go to Blackburn, but should stay at home as long as she could.

By 8.45am, after several conversations with hospital staff by which time she was in “excruciating pain”, Matthew, who works as a production manager at Denric Footwear in Rawtenstall, told staff at Burnley she was going to have the baby in the car if they did not leave for hospital immediately.

They set off for Blackburn but Matthew was forced to pull over in Belthorn Road when Rachel said the baby was coming.

Rachel said: “We stopped. The baby’s head was out, Matt came running round the car and just literally caught her as she came out into the footwell.”

Dr Turner then looked after mum and baby until an ambulance arrived.

Rachel said: “She was an angel.

“It filled my heart with joy that somebody stopped to help.”