Mum Becky Watson was on her way to the hospital to give birth to the new arrival when her labour suddenly advanced just after she and her husband Pete had parked their car.

'She collapsed in the car park and suddenly I was thinking that I was going to have to deliver this baby,' Mr Watson said.

'Luckily a nurse spotted us in the car park and she ran over to the labour ward to get help.'

Off-duty midwives Helen Fecher and Louise Jones, assisted by other staff from the maternity unit, rushed down to the car park to help.

Mrs Watson said: 'I could really feel the baby's head. The midwife told me "this baby is going to be born right here, right now", and that was it.'

Ellie-Rose was delivered at 8.49pm on Monday. She weighed 8lb 4oz.

Mother and baby were kept in hospital overnight before returning to their home in Spencer Road, Emsworth, where Ellie-Rose met her brother and sister Lewis, five, and Lydia, three.

Mr Watson said it was good to be back at home and praised staff at St Richard's for their efforts, especially the two midwives.

'We would like to thank the staff at St Richard's who helped us,' he said. 'They were amazing.'