A BRAVE mother delivered her baby amid a storm in a pub car park despite the efforts of a police escort rushing her to hospital.

Angela Harler and her husband Andrew were racing to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in horrific weather when baby Leonie made her dramatic entrance into the world a bit sooner than expected.

And to top off the dramatic occasion Nightingale pub manager Alistair Johnston was on hand to give the proud father a pint.

Mrs Harler started having contractions on Monday morning but midwives at the Royal sent her back to her home in Chapel Lane, Aldington, near Evesham, telling her the labour was in its very early stages.

But at about 4pm she felt the baby coming and told husband Andrew to get in the car and put his foot down.

Sensing the urgency, Mr Harler, aged 41, even overtook a police car, which he then flagged down. With that acting as an escort with blue lights flashing, they raced back to the hospital. But just minutes later Mrs Harler felt her baby daughter's head and they screeched to a halt at the pub in Sneachill, near Spetchley, where Leonie arrived.

Mrs Harler, aged 39, said: "I was shouting, It's coming now, it's coming now'. I was in the front seat and as we pulled over she flew out and I caught her.

"It was absolutely torrential rain and gale force winds and there was a cold draft coming into the car - but Andrew took his woolly jumper off and we wrapped her in that to keep her warm."

Mr Harler, who is a train driver, said: "It was like a cork from a bottle! I was on the phone to the ambulance control staff and they were reassuring us and telling us to unwrap the cord and clear her mouth - they were wonderful. I'm not sure the policeman knew what had hit him though - he was a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing so he directed the traffic!"

A few minutes later paramedic Mike Belcher arrived in a fast response vehicle, quickly followed by an ambulance crew who got Mrs Harler and Leonie, who weighed a healthy 7lb 7ozs, inside and got Mr Harler to cut the cord.

Mother and baby were then transferred to the delivery suite at the Royal - but not before Mr Harler had wet the baby's head, the couple's first child together, with a much-needed pint from Mr Johnston.

Mr Johnston said: "We saw the car fly into the car park with a police car following, and this man ran towards the pub - we thought he might be on the run and didn't know whether to pounce on him.

"When he asked if anyone was a midwife or nurse there was a stunned silence.

"Afterwards I offered him a pint as it was the least I could do - and he looked like he needed it. It was certainly a talking point among the regulars!"

Paramedic Mike Belcher said it was rare that parents deliver their baby with no medical assistance whatsoever, but that when he arrived Mrs Harler and Leonie were doing fine.

"They did really well," he said. "It's definitely the first time I've heard of a baby being delivered in a pub car park."