GRANDAD Tony Turczynski went to help his son and ended up delivering a baby.

Tony, 52, today told how a 3am emergency call led to him playing midwife to 6lb 5oz girl named Lucy by her delighted parents.

Tony, from Fortuneswell, Portland said: "When it happened I was sort of in a trance but everything just seemed to work perfectly. I kept calm and just got on with what needed to be done."

The drama began when Colin Clennell rang in the early hours of Sunday to say girlfriend Shelley Day, 24, had gone into labour at their East Weare Road home.

Colin is the son of Tony's girlfriend Caroline and Tony said: "It was 3am so I went to see if I could help them."

By now Colin, 24, had phoned Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester for advice and been told that the ambulance was en route from Lytchett Minster but that the baby might arrive before the medics.

Tony said: "All of a sudden Shelley started screaming as she lay on the sitting room floor, Colin said the baby's head was starting to appear and the next thing I knew the baby had popped out and I was holding her in my hands."

Colin continued to get instructions from hospital staff who told them to wrap Lucy in a towel and give her to Shelley, which they did. The ambulance arrived 15 minutes later.

Tony said: "Shelley didn't want to go to hospital so the ambulance crew checked her over, told us it had been a textbook birth and allowed Shelley to stay at home."

Shelley said: "It was nerve-racking. I was in bed, had a couple of twinges and from there it just went straight to full blown labour."

Colin had nothing but praise for the help that Tony gave. He said: "The woman on the phone from hospital said the baby might come before the ambulance and before I could ask if that was likely the baby's head shot out. I couldn't believe it.

"Fortunately Tony was there and he delivered the baby. He did really well. Shelley and Lucy are both fine."

Tony and girlfriend, Caroline Clennell, 46, are now enjoying seeing their little grand-daughter.

Shelley and Lucy were both congratulated by a spokesman for Dorset Ambulance Trust who said it took 37 minutes from the time of the initial 999 call until an ambulance arrived at the baby.

The nearest available free ambulance is sent when a call comes in, said the spokesman, and at the time one had just come free at Lytchett Minster about 20 miles from Portland.

The spokesman said: "Fortunately a second ambulance became available much closer at Dorchester and this one was sent to Portland with the Lytchett one being stood down. We are all delighted that mother and baby are doing well."