Baby born on M5: 999 call of surprise birth in car
His mum can be heard saying聽"hello" to baby Harry, and his father telling him: "Hello mister", shortly before paramedics arrive.
Friday 14 February 2020 15:28, UK
A 999 call of a baby being born in a car in roadworks in the inside lane of a motorway has been released by emergency services.
Jayne Rowland, 36, was in the front passenger seat of their car being driven to hospital by her partner Joshua Mogg, when she went into the final stages of labour on the M5 in Somerset.
Mr Mogg, 29, who was driving, was unable to pull onto the hard shoulder as it had been removed.
The call begins with Mr Mogg telling call handler Jonathan Leaton: "I think she's almost about to pop... I'm in the roadworks at 50 miles an hour."
Mr Leaton told Mr Mogg, from Street, Somerset, to put his hazard lights on and pull over as morning rush hour traffic sped past near junction 24 on 1 November.
A few minutes later, baby Harry arrived and his mother can be heard saying "hello" to the newborn, followed by his father telling him: "Hello mister."
Harry, weighing 7lb 8oz, was born at 7.57am moments before emergency services arrived.
His birth certificate has the place of birth recorded as "M5".
Ms Rowland, a teaching assistant, said: "I'd had discomfort for around three weeks, and didn't feel anything different when I woke up that day. But the pain got worse and worse in the car, so I asked Josh to pull over.
"Everything seemed to happen very quickly. The call handler talked it through with us, and then the paramedics and police arrived.
"They all made such a difference. We're so thankful. I just wanted to get to the hospital safely and on time.
"It wasn't until afterwards that I realised how much danger we were in, because there was nowhere safe to stop in the roadworks."
She praised a lorry driver who shielded the family from traffic by stopping and putting his hazard warning lights on.
On Thursday the three of them, along with Harry's eight-year-old brother Benjamin, visited Taunton Ambulance Station to thank the staff from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust personally.
Mr Mogg, a tree surgeon, said: "I just had to get out of the car and get on with it.
"Delivering my baby son on a motorway is probably the best thing I've done in my life. I feel it's given me a stronger bond with Harry."
Mr Leaton, who talked the parents through the motorway delivery, praised the couple for remaining calm and following instructions.
Operations officer Dan Wilsher was first on the scene before he was joined by paramedic Simon White and student paramedic Alexandra Luxton.
"When I approached the passenger door, I saw a tiny little face wrapped in blankets looking back at me," he said.