Baby born after Southampton-Portsmouth ticket wait

Baby Jessica has been given Southampton FC season tickets for life

A woman went into labour while queuing for tickets for the FA Cup fifth round Southampton and Portsmouth derby.

Saints fans Rebecca and Vince Reeves had waited to buy tickets at St Mary's football stadium after the rival teams were drawn against each other.

But while the couple were in the queue Mrs Reeves started suffering pains.

A friend took her home while her husband stayed in the queue. Minutes later her waters broke but the parents were reunited for the birth of Jessica.

Bosses at the League One club have welcomed their newest fan by giving her a season ticket for life.

Clutching tickets

The couple had been queuing for the tickets last week when Mrs Reeves started to go into labour.

She was taken home by her friend and then to hospital.

Mr Reeves arrived at hospital just minutes after his wife, clutching tickets for the match, and in time for the birth of their daughter four hours later.

"Vince was on the phone to me finding out how it was going and I was finding out how far along he was getting," Mrs Reeves said.

"As soon as we got to the hospital I said, 'did you get the tickets?'

"It will be one story that we are not going to forget."

Mr Reeves added: "It was important to get tickets for the derby match, but obviously the birth came first."

The teams meet in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday at St Mary's.