Firefighters reunited with baby delivered in car

Firefighters Rosie Tonkin (left) and Katie Hoskins were reunited with baby Olive and mum Alice Hearle and dad Josh Beardmore

A baby who was born in the back of a car has been reunited with firefighters who stepped in to help deliver her.

Fire crews from Falmouth Blue Watch were tackling a blaze when they were called on to help with the delivery.

Alice Hearle and Josh Beardmore were en route to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro when Alice felt an overwhelming urge to push.

Baby Olive was born safe and well at 14:36 BST on Thursday, 16 May.

Olive's parents took her to meet the firefighters who helped deliver her

Members of Falmouth Blue Watch and a fire investigation team were at Cockwells boatbuilding site in Penryn, when they were asked to help.

The couple from Falmouth said Olive's dramatic arrival would be a story she could share throughout her life.

Olive is their second child, and they said they had been quite relaxed about the birth, which was planned to take place at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

Ms Hearle's waters broke a few days ahead of her due date and after going to hospital she was sent home to rest ahead of a planned induction the following day.

But minutes after checking in with her midwife over the phone at about 13:00 BST that day, her labour started to progress rapidly.

'The baby's coming'

Ms Hearle, a mobile hairdresser, said: “Five minutes after I got off the phone with her, I had this secondary water break. I was getting contractions every minute.

“I couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk.”

Mr Beadmore said: “We were in the car and had just got down the road when Alice said, ‘I’ve got to push, the baby’s coming’.”

Realising they would not make it to Truro in time, the expectant father, who had dealt with emergency situations as an RNLI lifeboat volunteer, came up with a new plan.

Mr Beardmore said he was aware of a fire at nearby Cockwells boatbuilding site and so pulled over there.

He said: “I waved over at the guys and said, ‘I think I need a bit of a hand here, my Missus is having a baby’.

“They were amazing. They dropped everything. The two girls were straight in the car and said, ‘You look after Alice and we’ll deal with the baby’.”

The crew even moved a fire engine in front of the car to block the view from the road, while firefighter Katie Hoskins took charge of the delivery and her colleague, Rosie Tonkin, stayed on the phone with the ambulance service.

“They were so comforting and took control of the situation,” said Ms Hearle.

“After about three pushes, the baby was out and she cried straight away so I knew she was okay.”

'Immensely proud'

A few weeks on from the birth, the couple took their newborn and their two-year-old son Teddy to thank the crews.

“I wanted say thank you to them for being so calm and jumping in like they did,” said Ms Hearle.

She said one of the crew members even noted the exact time Olive was born.

“It wasn’t the water birth I had planned but I actually feel really proud and positive about the birth,” she added.

Kath Billing, Chief Fire Officer at Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, said: “I am so pleased that Olive arrived safely and I am immensely proud of the crews that helped with her delivery.

"They are a testament to the service and their profession.”