IT was an express arrival for baby Jamie Lee who was delivered on the settee at her grandmother's home by quick-acting paramedic Jason Swift.
Young mum 17-year-old Teresa Humphrys, of Oldham Fold, Darwen, started with labour pains but never phoned for an ambulance, believing it to be another false alarm and took a painkiller.
But the labour pains worsened and before she had time to call for an ambulance the baby was on its way.
Paramedics arrived within minutes but the baby's head was already showing and Teresa realised she would have to give birth on the settee at her mum's home in Ivinson Road, Darwen. Jason used the emergency delivery pack stored in the ambulance to deliver Jamie Lee, who was born at 2.23am on Saturday - in 13 minutes!
Jason, who lives in Bolton with his wife and 20-month-old toddler, said: "She was in the last stages of labour when we arrived. I could see the crown of the head.
"The midwife was brought by taxi but it took half an hour so I had to deliver the baby myself as Jamie was born in a matter of minutes.
"It was brilliant. This is the second baby I have helped deliver. The first one was outside Queen's Park Hospital baby unit.
"The birth of Jamie was straight forward and she came out wailing and screaming. She has a great pair of lungs.
"You see enough bad things in this job with accidents and so on. It is nice to have a bit of cheer. I'm chuffed to bits."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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