Quick-thinking dad left holding the baby

A new mother has praised her quick-thinking partner who turned midwife to deliver their daughter on the lounge floor of their Wolverhampton home.

Mother-of-three Sally Hallsworth shocked boyfriend Darren Friel when she suddenly went into labour on Sunday night.

Mr Friel, aged 33, was enjoying a soak in the bath at their home in East Park Way when Miss Hallsworth told him her contractions had started. Mr Friel called an ambulance to take Miss Hallsworth to New Cross Hospital.

But the impatient little girl had no intention of hanging on and so Mr Friel had no choice but to deliver the baby before the ambulance crew arrived.

Baby Keleigh Ann came into the world weighing 7lbs 2oz and none the worse for her surprise entrance.

Miss Hallsworth, aged 26, said she was impressed by the actions of security consultant Mr Friel, who was talked through the birth by staff at the delivery suite at New Cross Hospital.

“I didn’t really realise what was going on as I was hurting quite a bit and so just wanted the baby out,” she said.”It all happened really quickly, the contractions started but when I went upstairs to tell Darren I realised the baby was coming.

“He was wonderful though, he did a brilliant job.”

Mr Friel said he would never forget the night he delivered his baby girl.

“There was one scary moment when the cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck but by that time the paramedics were there so they helped me,” he said.

“It’s an experience I’ll never forget. It was scary but it was wonderful and very emotional.”

After a night in hospital being checked over, the couple have now taken their new daughter home to join their other two children, Billie-Jo, aged five and 17-month-old Daniel.

And, despite Keleigh Ann being a healthy, happy baby, Miss Hallsworth said she was not planning to have any more children.

“It won’t happen again as we don’t plan on having any more,” she joked.