Maxine Bathe's waters broke while she was on the phone to her midwife, who advised her to phone for an ambulance.

When it arrived about 10 minutes later Maxine was relieved when close friend and colleague Janet Lamont walked through the door.

Just minutes later her son Finlay Bathe was born.

Maxine, 38, from Park Gate, who already has a four-year-old daughter, Laura, said: 'We had planned a hospital birth, but it didn't work out that way.

'We used to joke at work throughout my pregnancy that it might happen this way, but I denied it because I was planning a hospital birth.

'Janet has four kids so as soon as I saw her I was relieved.

'She knew what she was doing. I know most of the people in the service anyway but it was nice that it was another female. Janet has got plenty of experience. I couldn't have asked for anyone better.

'We are just glad everything ran smoothly and we have a healthy baby boy.'

After the birth, Maxine, with husband Ian alongside her, was taken to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester for a check-up.

Janet, who delivered Finlay at 12.30pm on October 13, added: 'I was advised on the phone it was Max. It was strangely exhilarating and terrifying.

'Delivering any baby into the world is exciting but when it's someone you know it's strange.

'It was the realisation that it's not any baby, it's your friend's baby.

'I wanted to make sure everything was fine. I would never have forgiven myself if anything had gone wrong.

'When I got there Max was in an advanced stage and I could see the head. It was just a couple of contractions and he popped out and said hello to the world.

'It couldn't have been a more perfect birth. It was brilliant.'

Maxine will now take nine months maternity leave before returning to work as a paramedic for the South Central Ambulance Service.

She added: 'I want to say thank you to the midwife too. She was brilliant and she was very helpful.'