Dad pitches in to deliver his daughter (From Bury Times)

Dad pitches in to deliver his daughter

11:20am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News

BURY FC’s head groundsman Mike Curtis didn’t let the grass grow under his feet when he arrived home from last Saturday’s game to discover his heavily pregnant wife was about to give birth in the hallway.

He spent 20 minutes on the phone to the ambulance service receiving vital medical information as he crouched on the floor beside his wife, Helen.

The baby’s head appeared just as an ambulance crew arrived at the couple’s home in Westcombe Drive and they helped safely deliver Millie Louise. Mum and baby were then taken to Royal Bolton Hospital as a precaution and were allowed home on Sunday.

Acknowledging that he was in “a panic”, 42-year-old Mike said: “You just don’t expect anyone to give birth on the hallway floor. Helen had actually been due the previous day.”

Mike, who is also kitman and has worked at Bury FC for 26 years, had received an urgent call from his wife after Shakers had just been beaten 2-0 by visitors Crawley at Gigg Lane.

“She told me to get home quick. Her waters broke as I walked through the door five minutes later. Helen was on the hallway floor and alongside her was her mum, Janet Crabtree, and our little lad, three-year-old Charlie.

“I first rang the hospital and then the ambulance service. I was on the phone to them for 20 minutes and they were giving me a lot of good advice on how to make Helen more comfortable and other information. The head was about to come out when the ambulance crew arrived at the door while I was still on the phone and they delivered the baby.”

Mum Helen, aged 32, and baby Millie Louise are both said to be fighting fit after the unscheduled home birth.