IT was a case of baby ‘blues and twos’ for one mum-to-be in a dramatic police dash to Stepping Hill Hospital.

For Alicia Royles didn’t even make it to the maternity ward and gave birth on the back seat of a police car.

The 28-year-old went into labour on Wednesday, April 23, and gave birth to 6lbs 3oz Bailey Jack at 12.27pm in the hospital car park.

New dad Brett Scase, 32, was driving Alicia to the hospital when they had to pull over at the Peel Centre and flag down the police car to ring an ambulance.

Alicia said: "At first I was not in a rush as my contractions were every four minutes. Then in the car they became every minute and we had to pull over. The ambulance did not come for what seemed like ages, when in reality it had only been about five minutes. But at around 12.10pm my waters broke and the police officers picked me up out of our car into the back of the police car and rushed us to hospital with the lights and siren on. I was on the back seat and had to start pushing. It was scary," she added.

When the couple from Hyde arrived outside Stepping Hill Hospital, the midwives came down with a wheelchair to take Alicia to the delivery suite, but she could not move and had to give birth in the police car, which was covered with sheets for privacy.

Trainee midwife Neave Maloney, of Heaton Norris, who is studying at the University of Manchester, helped with the birth - which was only her 14th delivery.

The 20-year-old said: "It was quite strange but exciting. Alicia coped really well bearing in mind she was in the back of a police car!"

Alicia, who also has an eight-year-old son Andrew with Brett, added: "It is a good story to tell Bailey when he is older. I would like to say a big thank you to them and the midwives."

It was Cheadle Heath based officer PC Dan Jones and colleague PC Victoria Wade who came to Alicia’s rescue.

PC Jones, 30, who has one child of his own, said: "We have not done anything like this before, it was quite shocking, but an amazing experience. We were pleased to take part in the birth and help the mum, it was certainly different. It is not every day you are called to a job like that."