TWO police officers delivered a baby in the back of a car after the mother was prevented from getting to hospital by a road block.

Officers closed Haslingden Road near to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for two hours for investigations after Brian Dickson, 63, died when his car crashed into a bus stop.

The couple, from Burlington Street, Blackburn, who declined to be named, were stuck in traffic jams just half a mile away from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

So two long-serving police officers rolled their sleeves up and helped deliver the healthy 6lb 9oz baby girl.

The little bundle of joy was brought into the world by armed response police constables Mark Greenhalgh and Damien Coupe - with help from ambulance staff over the phone.

PC Greenhalgh, who has been working as a police officer for 13 years, said: "We saw the commotion and wondered what was going on. When we found out that there was a lady that had gone into labour on the back seat of a car we asked for an ambulance, but that had become stuck in the traffic.

"When we got there she was actually having the baby."

He said the first aid kit and oxygen they keep onboard police vehicles came in handy, adding: "Her husband didn't speak particularly good English so I was on the phone on the treble nine line getting medical advice from staff.

"They were telling us to look for the baby's vital signs to see if it was looking up and making sure the umbilical cord was not around her neck.

"We gave mum some oxygen and let nature do the rest.

"It's bizarre to think one life had passed while another one began in more or less the same place at the same time.

"But I think this is the first and last baby that I will be delivering."

PC Coupe, who lives in Darwen, added: "The woman was just about to give birth - when we got there the baby was born in a matter of minutes. I'm pleased for the parents and happy we were able to help."

Shortly after baby came into the world, both parents and child were able to get through to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

l Police are investigating the death of Mr Dickson, from Winsford, Cheshire, and suspect he may have had a heart attack at the wheel.