A baby boy who made a sudden arrival in the world has brought two sisters even closer together.

Reydon mum Sarah Burrage was on the way to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston when her bump decided it could wait no more.

Her own mum, Linda Burrage, was driving and called 999 for advice. But when the call taker told them to pull over in the nearest lay-by panic set in. 'He told me to make her comfortable and get her in the back because I was going to have to deliver this baby,' said 55-year-old Mrs Burrage. 'I said I can't do it, there is no way I can do it. We need Jenny.'

In labour on the side of the A12 near Wrentham, 29-year-old Sarah called on her younger sister Jenny for help. Qualified paramedic Jenny, who also lives in Reydon, arrived and within minutes had delivered her nephew.

She acted fast to remove the cord which had wrapped around the baby's neck and then revealed that it was a baby boy. 'By the time we got to Wrentham I knew,' said Sarah. 'I phoned Jenny and just said, 'You've got to come now, I'm having the baby.'

'I've delivered three now,' said Jenny, 25, who is based at the Gorleston ambulance depot. 'My first was in a lay-by, the second at a house and now my own nephew. Being able to tell her it was a boy was the best part.'

Three hours earlier, Sarah had called her partner Ashley Hutchings and told him they would pick him up in Lowestoft on their way to the JPUH. At 8.30pm, as James was making his grand entrance into the world in a lay-by, Ashley was still waiting. 'He must have been wondering what on earth was going on,' said Sarah.

Thankfully, as the ambulance arrived to take Linda, Sarah and James to hospital, Jenny fetched Ashley and the whole family arrived at JPUH at the same time.

'I am so proud of both girls, they were fantastic,' said Linda. 'It was nice for us to all be there; all the girls together, and now we've got our first grandson.'

lauren.rogers@archant.co.uk