A MOTHER gave birth to her son just hours after being involved in a car crash on a busy road.

Rachael Loker, who lives near Hurn village, welcomed baby Hughie into the world after being escorted to Poole Hospital by police.

The 24-year-old had been travelling as a passenger in her friend’s car to buy items for her son, who was not due for more than a week, when she was involved in a three vehicle collision on the Wessex Way on-slip at Blackwater.

Rachael said she felt an “horrific” amount of pain after her seat belt tightened, which she later discovered was due to a tear in her stomach and abruption to the placenta.

They called 999 for an ambulance, but police were first on the scene.

“At one point the officer was getting ready to deliver the baby,” Rachael said.

“The paramedics turned up and were able to take over. Due to a traumatic last pregnancy and other aspects the situation was seen as an urgent priority.

“We got a police escort to Poole Hospital and within a couple of hours of the crash they delivered the baby.

“The team at Poole Hospital are just amazing and I can’t thank the paramedics and police officer enough - they were brilliant.

“It was a bit of shock to go so quickly from just going to get some Moses basket sheets to having the baby delivered.”

Rachael and Hughie returned home on Wednesday after he was delivered by caesarean section.

Her partner George, who works as a tree surgeon, had to rush down from 110ft up a tree to get to the hospital in time for the birth. He told Rachael he wondered what the emergency service sirens he could hear from where he was working were, without knowing they were in fact police and ambulance crews attending to his partner.

Daughter Milan, who is two in September, was in the back of the car at the time of the collision. Rachael said her daughter was extremely brave and was cared for by police until a family member arrived.

PC Mark Palmer, of the road policing team based at Poole, was the officer who arrived on the scene shortly after the collision.

“We arrived to what appeared to be a very minor rear end shunt,” he said.

“Initially we were intending to move the cars up the slip road to a safe location, however we quickly established the lady who was heavily pregnant was in need of urgent medical attention.

“The 999 operators assessed the situation and at one point it was possible that the baby would have to be delivered on the side of the road.

“Fortunately ambulance crews arrived just in time and she was escorted to the hospital. We were pleased to hear Rachael gave birth to a healthy baby boy. We wish her and her family all the best.”