'You're going to have to pull over – he's coming!': Baby born on hard shoulder of the M42

Sam Walker was travelling with partner Terry Kemp and their two sons Luke, 4, and Ollie, 3, on the M42 yesterday evening when traffic ground to a halt due to a fuel spillage.

The 33-year-old mum from Solihull suddenly felt contractions and urged Terry, 29, to pull over. As she stood up to get out of the car she felt a gush and caught little Tommy.

Sam said: "I felt contractions while we were out earlier in the day but then they died down so I didn't think anything of it.

"Then all of a sudden they came on again really strongly and I said 'you're going to have to pull over – he's coming'."

Within minutes, at 5.08pm, Sam had given birth to little Tommy and cradled him as she wrapped him in her jacket.

She said: "He was waiting for no-one!"

"I was delighted to have him here with us but it just wasn't where I wanted to have him – I'd have rather have had him at home or in the hospital."

"I'm absolutely fine it was just a bit of a shock. Both Terry and I were quite shook up by it all.

"Both Luke and Ollie have been talking about him all night and are now enjoying having a hold and lots of cuddles."

The baby's grandfather Terry Kemp, 58, who was travelling in a separate car from the family, was stuck worrying for two hours in the jam.

He said: "I was running on fumes and had very little phone battery when my son rang me to say the baby was on the way.

"Minutes later, from just 200 yards away between junction 7 and 7a, he announced that the baby had been born and that the emergency services were on their way.

"I had to keep turning the engine off and hoped and prayed I had enough to get me off the motorway and to the hospital."

Motorway police arrived within 30 minutes and after checking mum and baby were OK escorted them to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.

Little Tommy, who weighed 6lbs 4oz, was kept in overnight for observations and is doing well.

Grandad Terry praised quick-thinking cops who escorted his son's partner and new grandchild to hospital.

He said: "West Midlands Police were absolutely superb considering the conditions they had to deal with.

"They had the situation under control within seconds – I'd like to say a big thank you to them for all their help."

Pc James Barry from Central Motorway Policing Group said: "By the time we arrived mum had done all the hard work and we there to make sure everyone was OK.

"The husband did the right thing and pulled over onto the hard shoulder and called us for help.

"He told us that it had all happened so fast that within 20 minutes of his wife going into labour she had given birth.

"The ambulance crew were struggling to get to us as the motorway was blocked, so we blue-lighted the family to the motorcycle museum where the crew were able to meet us and take over.

"It was lovely to receive a photo of the baby named Tommy and we are glad that they are all doing well."