A pair of plucky midwives hitched a ride with 999 crews to beat the floods and reach a stranded mum-to-be as she was about to give birth.

Sally Watkins and Edwina Chaplin thumbed lifts with the emergency services in a race against time to get to Allison Hardwick as she went into labour a week early.

But the drama turned to joy when Allison, 32, gave birth to bouncing baby boy Jamie, who weighed in at 7lbs 10oz.

Allison and prison officer hubby John, 35, waited anxiously for the midwife to arrive after the expectant mum went into labour at about 3am yesterday (Monday).

Colne Valley midwife Sally immediately started battling through floods to get to the family's Sible Hedingham home.

She managed to drive from Marks Tey to the village but found her way blocked by a 2ft-deep lake in Swan Street.

Luckily firefighters battling the floods came to her rescue.

Allison said: "Sally got to the Sugarloaves and couldn't get any further. She'd already phoned from Halstead to say she was stuck but was going to risk it. She promised she would get here in time."

John added: "The fire brigade said she wouldn't get through the flood. She told them there was a woman in labour so they said: 'OK, jump up'."

The couple were stunned when a fire engine pulled up outside the front door of their Oxford Meadow home which was cut off by the floods.

"I looked out of the window and saw a fire engine," said John. "I didn't dream for a second it was for my wife.

"One of the fire brigade blokes jumped out and shouted 'Are you the ones having the baby?' I said yes, and he shouted to the midwife and she jumped out and came in."

Doctors had told Allison to have the baby at hospital. But there was no time to get back through the storm-swept roads.

Instead, Sally called off-duty midwife Edwina Chaplin, of Halstead, to help.

She was twice forced to turn back by floods.

But she managed to get a lift from a friendly policeman in his 4x4 Range Rover. Together, Sally and Edwina helped deliver baby Jamie upstairs at the family home.

He arrived at 6.17am - more than three hours after mum Allison went into labour.

By Chris Wilkin

Reporter's e-mail: chris_wilkin@thisisessex.co.uk

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