Cumbria floods baby given middle name Noah

John Bibby with his newborn son, James Noah

A couple who battled through Cumbria's floods for the birth of their son have given him the middle name Noah.

John Bibby feared he would not be able to get wife Katharine to hospital in time because roads out of the Lake District village of Backbarrow were flooded.

After reaching Furness General in Barrow, Mrs Bibby gave birth within minutes.

The newborn's first name is James after the fictional spy James Bond.

Mrs Bibby was due to be induced at Lancaster Hospital on Sunday as she was two weeks overdue. With Backbarrow hit by floodwaters, the couple, both aged 36, were advised to visit the following day.

However, when she went into labour naturally at about 14:30 GMT they were told to head to Barrow instead.

'Bit of a panic'

Mr Bibby said: "The Backbarrow bridge was completely gone and the only other road out was covered in about three foot of water.

"It was a bit of a panic. If she had gone into labour at say 10am, or on Saturday night, it might have been a home birth and I'm not sure how I'd manage that!

"We got through the main flooded bit, luckily we have a Land Rover, I don't think a normal car would have done it.

"But I had to stop quite a few times when Katharine's contractions got really bad, and tried to speed up in between contractions as much as possible. It did cross my mind that I might have to deliver the baby in the car."

Describing himself as a "massive James Bond fan", he added: "His first name was always going to be James, but we've just given him the middle name Noah, because of his journey through the floods."

The couple have one other child, a two-year-old daughter named Alyssa.

Further heavy rain has brought more flooding to parts of Cumbria, just four days after large areas of the county were devastated by Storm Desmond.