Best friend delivers baby on sofa

Friends relax after Joseph arrived in less than an hour

A young Leicestershire mother has given birth on a sofa with help from her partner and best friend.

Carla Hunt, 20, went into labour while sitting on her settee at her home in Birstall eating a takeaway.

The arrival of her little boy took everyone by surprise and her partner Aron Daly had to relay step-by-step instructions from 999 call handlers.

Baby Joseph, who weighed 8lbs 4oz, was born nine days late, while proud father Aron was still on the phone to the ambulance service.

Absolutely petrified

Best Friend, Kristy Parvitt, 19, acted as midwife as the baby arrived.

She said: "I was absolutely petrified hoping that he was OK and that Carla was going to be OK.

"I had planned to be at the birth but I didn't actually imagine it to be the way it was, actually delivering him and not in hospital, on the settee.

"But, he was worth it all in the end."

Paramedics turned up minutes later to find mother and baby both doing well.

New mother Carla said: "I just didn't want to have him on the settee, I wanted to get to the hospital where it was safe, but it was all a bit too much, I was not really taking it all in, but it was very scary."

First time father, Aron was also suitably shocked by his son's unexpected and quick arrival. He said: "I thought I was dreaming to be honest with you. It is my first baby, so I was just over the moon with it."