Safe delivery: Control manager Maria Henderson with baby Adam
A cab driver doubled as a midwife on Monday when he helped deliver a baby boy to a Hounslow couple he was driving to hospital.
Habibullah Noori, 46, took the call at midday to take an expectant mother and father to St George's Hospital in Tooting.
Mum-to-be Anna Gore's contractions had already started and they diverted to Charing Cross Hospital after hitting a wall of traffic caused by a five-car-pile up on Hammersmith flyover and problems with the lights at Chalker's Corner.
They were in Margravine Gardens, just behind the hospital, when it became apparent that mum-to-be Anna, 25, was about to give birth.
Mr Noori, a driver with Aircall Radio Cars for just three weeks, called 999 as dad-to-be Eddie Assefa leapt out of the taxi to ask gridlocked drivers to pull out of their way.
Mr Assefa, 27, of Heath Road, said: "Her waters broke so I got out and even moved a van myself because the driver had got out to see what was going on with the traffic.
advertisement
"Then just by coincidence, I spotted a fast response ambulance and ran up to ask for help."
Meanwhile Mr Noori had pulled up on the pavement outside the gates of William Morris School.
“I am so proud and happy for the parents. Adam is so beautiful.”
Habibullah Noori
Mr Assefa said: "They called another ambulance, and a paramedic named Andy delivered the baby right there and then."
Suzie Nollett, a learning mentor at the school, was teaching a class overlooking the road.
The 31-year-old said: "We heard screams, so we went to the window and saw two ambulances and a car with blankets covering the windows.
"We saw all the people inside were smiling, and shortly after a paramedic was carrying a baby wrapped up in a blanket.
"We clapped and cheered and some students went down there. I'm seven months pregnant, so seeing that was really lovely."
Mum, dad and baby were taken to Hammersmith Hospital where baby Adam weighed in at 6lbs 3oz (2.87kg).
Mr Noori said: "I am so proud and happy for the parents. Adam is so beautiful."
Maria Henderson, call manager at the cab company in Bell Parade, Hounslow, said in the industry it was good luck for a baby to be born in a taxi.
She added: "The company would like to wish baby, mum and dad all the best."
Posted by: Sam Jones, Hounslow on 11:11am Wed 21 May 08
I would have been terrified if I'd been the driver of that taxi. But thank goodness everything turned out OK for the family. And now they have a wonderful new addition to add to their happy home. I wish them all the best of the luck for the future.
I would have been terrified if I'd been the driver of that taxi. But thank goodness everything turned out OK for the family. And now they have a wonderful new addition to add to their happy home. I wish them all the best of the luck for the future.
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
