Parents' DIY birth by phone
A father delivered his baby in a dramatic home birth – with help from a newly-trained ambulance operator.
Kurt Hyett was forced to turn medic for a breached birth when partner Gillian Bridgewater went into labour at her Birmingham home.
But he was helped through the ordeal by Maria Spurr, who was monitoring proceedings miles away at the West Midlands Ambulance Service headquarters in Brierley Hill.
Gillian, 30, who already has Jake, aged 11 and Ellis, aged three-and-a-half, was due to give birth this Thursday but her waters broke on Friday night. Kurt called 999 but it was too late and the baby's feet were already visible. He said: "I was shaking like a leaf but Maria was absolutely brilliant." Gillian gave birth to daughter Morgan early on Saturday.
Maria, who completed her four months initial training just before Christmas, added: "Both the caller and his partner were very calm."
