COLCHESTER'S MP Will Quince came within ten minutes of turning his talents to midwifery when wife Elinor went into labour at their home.

Towels were at the ready for the Tory when he ran out of time to get Elinor to Colchester Hospital in the early hours of Saturday.

Fortunately a relieved Will became dad to Anne Frances (Annie) with the support of paramedics who dashed to his Prettygate home.

She was born a day after their first daughter Catherine's fourth birthday.

Will, 33, who was recuperating with his family at home yesterday, said: "We were expecting a nice relaxed experience at the Juno suite at the hospital.

"We had been to hypo-birthing classes and ante-natal classes and were all prepared for that."

The couple went to the hospital in Turner Road around 8.30pm on Friday after Elinor started to have contractions.

But they were sent home again as it was too soon and advised to return when Elinor felt she should.

Will called the hospital back at 10pm as contractions continued and Elinor was vomiting but the couple held off leaving home for a bit longer.

"We hit just about midnight and she turned to me and said 'I think we need to go no," Will continued.

"I started to take the bags down the stairs and was about to phone the suite to say we were coming in when she shouted to me her that her waters had broken.

"Then she said 'I think I need to push."

Will helped Elinor, 33, onto the bed and dialled 999 before grabbing towels in case the baby arrived before paramedics did.

The ambulance service call handler remained on the phone to Will to keep him calm.

"They said 'what can you see?'.

"I said I could see the baby's head. I knew I was only a handful of pushes away from this happening.

"Luckily we live only half a mile away from the ambulance station.

"They were here within minutes of her being born.

"If they hadn't arrived when they did I would have been delivering the baby.

"It was sheer relief when I saw them come though our bedroom door.

"The paramedics were amazing in the way they calmed the situation down," said Will.

Elinor had been six days overdue.

Annie was a healthy 9lbs 11 oz, and Elinor delivered her without any drugs.

The pair went to hospital to be checked over before returning home a few hours later.

Meanwhile, Catherine slept in her bedroom next door unaware of the drama.

Will said: "The next morning she walked through our bedroom door and there was a baby!"

The MP has previously described the heartbreak of his son Robert being stillborn in October 2014.

He is now co-chairman of the new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Baby Loss dedicated to raising awareness of stillbirths and baby death.

Will added: "That was worrying me the most - this could happen again.

"We cannot go through this again.

"All is well and we have got a lovely healthy little girl."