LITTLE Lucia Anais Francesca was making herself at home this week after being delivered by her father.

The 6lb 15oz baby girl didn’t give parents John Liotti (23) and Louise Pester (24) time to get to hospital on Friday and John had to deliver his baby in the couple’s bedroom in Victoria Street, Radcliffe.

First-time dad John, who works for a window-fitting business, was talked through the birth by a 999 operator.

He said: “I was about to rush to the car but Louise stopped me and said she wouldn’t make it. It’s a good job she did, otherwise the baby would have been born in Radcliffe Road. It was a great experience delivering my own daughter. I was overjoyed once the paramedics arrived 20 minutes later and said that everything was alright.”

Louise felt her first contraction at 4.20am. She phoned Fairfield Hospital and was advised to take a bath and relax until the pain became too much. At 5.40am the pain became overbearing and John called the hospital to say the couple were on their way. But Lucia could not wait.

Louise said: “As soon John put the phone down I felt a push and I knew it was too late. He grabbed the car keys but I said: ‘we’re not going anywhere. I need to have this baby now’. The whole labour lasted an hour and 40 minutes, which isn’t bad going.”

John called 999 and followed the operator’s instructions, helping Louise to the couple’s bed and covering the bed in clean towels in preparation for Lucia’ arrival.

Louise’s first daughter, two-year-old Lilia-May, was looking after both mum and her new little sister this week.

Louise said: “It was actually really nice to give birth at home because it meant my family could come around to visit straight away and Lilia could see her sister immediately. Lilia’s a proper little mother. She’s always fussing over Lucia and singing to her.”