Lady Laura Cash: How I almost gave birth at roadworks on the M54

The daughter-in-law of Stone MP Bill Cash revealed the traumatic journey she had to endure to reach a birthing unit at the end of January.

Lady Cash, who is married to leading Ukip campaigner William Cash and lives at Upton Cressett Hall, near Bridgnorth, had been instructed to travel to Telford's Women and Children's Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital.

But the distance involved and motorway roadworks meant she almost didn't make it.

Lady Cash gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Cosima, at Bridgnorth Maternity Unit in June 2015, but this time she was told by her specialist NHS doctor to go to PRH as a complication with the position of the baby gave her a heightened risk of haemorrhaging.

She eventually gave birth to son Rex minutes after arriving at the hospital – but only after an ambulance was called when the couple found themselves stranded behind roadworks on the M54.

She said: "Had I given birth on the M54, without any medical supervision, there was a very serious risk to the lives of both baby and mother. As my waters broke, it was a really scary moment."

The couple found their route to the hospital blocked by the motorway closure and eventually had to plead with workmen to let them through.

Lady Cash said there were several lorries and steamrollers blocking the road, along with about a dozen road workers.

As Mr Cash pleaded with the foreman to let them through, Lady Cash's waters broke at about 2am.

She said: "At this point, I thought I would have to give birth on the M54, so we called the maternity unit on speakerphone at PRH."

The midwife on the phone called the police who escorted Mr Cash's car to hospital.

She said: "Had it not been for the excellence of the police, I would almost certainly have had to endure giving birth with no midwife or doctor present on the M54 surrounded by the hazard lights of a roadwork team.

"My drama highlights the very serious risks of closing down Bridgnorth Maternity Hospital where Cosima was born.

"It also highlights the risks of closing down the brand new Telford Women and Children's Unit, and new maternity unit."

Lady Cash was eventually transferred to Bridgnorth Maternity Hospital, where she was cared for until she and baby Rex were ready to return home.

A campaign has been launched amid fears the units in Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Oswestry could be downgraded to day-only or closed entirely.

It is also proposed that the PRH Women and Children's Centre should move to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The future of Shropshire's rural midwife-led hospitals will be debated at Shrewsbury Hospital on February 13.

Lady Cash has been invited to speak at the conference as a result of her own experience.