BRAVE Nicky Smith joked that if her best friend went into labour at her house it would be OK as she had seen cows being born on TV.

A few hours later she discovered the two were not really the same.

Nicky, 30, of Hawthorn Road, High Wycombe, became a makeshift midwife on Tuesday evening after her friend Cathy Greco gave birth to 8lb 8oz Alfie on her living room rug.

"It was amazing," explained Nicky. "Apart from having my own kids it was the most fantastic moment ever."

Mother-of-three Cathy, 30, of Wooburn Green Lane, Wooburn Green, said: "My other two children were painful and long labours, about 34 hours, so when my contractions started I'd already decided that I would go round to Nicky's for a whirlpool bath.

"It was all just so relaxed. We were just sitting watching Family Fortunes and I was even answering one of the questions at the end of a contraction."

Husband Tony, 43, had been checking in every few hours with Cathy and was ready to leave work when he was needed.

He said: "I got to Nicky's about 5.45pm. It was the picture of tranquillity. Cathy was on the sofa and Nicky was on the floor, glass of wine in one hand and a stopwatch in the other."

When the trio decided it was time to go to hospital Tony went to move the car closer to the house.

"I got back from moving the car, Cathy was on all fours and Nicky was on the phone. I went numb."

Nicky, who has two children herself, was talked through the birth by hospital staff and said: "His head just popped out and on the next contraction he just came out.

"I literally had to catch him, he was a slippery little sucker. I was completely euphoric afterwards and when the shock disappeared, I went completely pale and got really tired."

Classroom assistant Cathy thanked the hospital for all its help during and after the birth.

She said: "After we arrived at the hospital the staff made all of us a cup of tea and it's been more like being in a hotel than a hospital. They have all been really lovely."

Tony added that everyone thinks baby Alfie is brilliant. He said: "I'm not even jealous that he has more hair than me. The way he has been born is absolutely fantastic, we wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

Little Alfie returned home yesterday to his two half-brothers Robert, 20, Paul, 18, brother Joe, seven, and sister Rosie, aged nine.