Ambulance worker gives birth in car near Wolverhampton

Baby William's arrival into the world was a shock for his parents

An emergency services worker who refused to call an ambulance after her waters broke gave birth at the roadside.

Sarah Blaze did not want to dial 999 from her Bridgnorth home, fearing a colleague would attend.

She said: "The last thing I wanted was for somebody I know or speak to on a regular basis to see me in that way."

The 35 year old gave birth to son William on the way to New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton.

Sarah, who works for West Midlands Ambulance Service, was told she was in early labour and to go home when she first went to hospital with husband Stuart, 40, on Friday.

Sarah Blaze with her son William

But when her waters later broke she refused to allow him to dial 999.

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She said: "My husband said 'are you sure you don't want me to ring an ambulance?'.

"I said 'no, definitely not', because I work for the ambulance service in the control room."

The couple - also parents to four-year-old son, Thomas - were heading back to hospital when Sarah gave birth on the Bridgnorth Road, near Wightwick, at 00:26 GMT on Saturday.

She said: "We had a horrible moment for a second where he made no noise at all and we found the cord was round his neck. We managed to loosen it and my husband managed to get off over his head."

William weighed 8lbs 2ozs.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Jamie Arrowsmith, said: "It must have been an unusual feeling for Sarah to have had an ambulance come to her aid rather than sending one out to someone in their hour of need, but thankfully we were able to provide help quickly and transport mum and baby to hospital."