Special delivery for Shropshire dad David Wheat

Shropshire dad David Wheat was left literally holding the baby after having to deliver his son in the car park of a county hospital.

Wife Joanne woke at 3am after her waters broke and the couple faced a race against the clock to get from their home in Halfway House to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital - nine miles away

The 39-year-old, who was pregnant with twins, was not expecting the newborns for another five weeks.

But by the time they arrived at the hospital David, 46, had to deliver his son Tom himself before rushing to get the midwife to help deliver their daughter Maisie.

Joanne today said the new additions were settling well into family life with the couple's two other children Fraser, nine, and Emma, two, following the drama on July 27.

She said: "I woke up at 3.05am and within an hour the babies were born.

"I was screaming to David to pull over in the car but he said we were almost there and it would be better to keep going.

"By the time we got to the hospital Tom was head and shoulders out and David delivered him and put him on my chest before going to get help."

Joanne's previous experiences of childbirth were also as quick - Emma having being born in eight minutes and Fraser in 50 minutes.

She said: "I was so lucky because some women are in labour for hours or even days but it was bit too scarily quick. I'm lucky I don't have to worry about it any more as I've got my family now.

"David was very calm and quite composed to deliver his own son which is very special in a way. I think they want to give him a job as a midwife now."