BABY Emilia was 11 days overdue - but as her mother made her way to the entrance of Poole Hospital, she couldn't wait any longer.

Anne-Marie Smith from Verwood gave birth in the street alone, just yards from the hospital, as her husband Mark ran for help.

They'd been aware labour was in its early stages but thought they had hours before delivery.

Mark dropped Anne-Marie off around 100 metres from the hospital and went to find a parking space.

When he got back, his wife's waters had broken and the baby's head had appeared and, while he ran to get help, she was born.

Anne-Marie, 26, said: "I was in shock - my husband is in shock.

"It all happened so quickly I didn't have time to panic. She was born screaming and pink so I knew she was okay.

"It's unbelievable really - I thought this was something you just read about. I didn't think it'd happen to me. She was born into my underwear.

"Every woman dreams of a quick labour but this is ridiculous - it wasn't completely pain-free though.

"I think Emilia must be a typical woman - she wants everything done now!

"She will be surprised when she's old enough to hear the story of how she was born. The midwives were superb."

Emilia was born at 2pm on Tuesday, November 1 in St Mary's Road. She weighed seven pounds 14 ounces and was promptly wrapped in Anne-Marie's cardigan before the midwives rushed them inside and cut the umbilical cord.

Helen Williams, clinical midwifery manager at Poole Hospital, said: "This is a first. We've had babies born in the car park in cars before or born on the journey to hospital but we've never had one born on the street outside."

It was a far cry from Emilia's three-year-old brother Jacob's birth. He was born five weeks early, weighing just five pounds.

First published: November 10