A police officer sprinted with a baby in his arms to get it to hospital after it stopped breathing.

At about 2.30am on Friday, September 5, a mother called 999 after her baby boy, who was born three-and-a-half months prematurely, had stopped breathing.

Police were in the area and arrived promptly to the house in Blackshaw Road, Tooting, and were handed the baby to perform emergency first aid.

The baby was still breathing, but having difficulty, and as paramedics had not arrived and the nearest accident and emergency department, at St George's Hospital, Tooting, was only about 300 yards away, one of the constables decided to run with the baby to get help.

The baby was first treated at the resuscitation department, where he was revived, before being moved to a specialist unit.

Superintendent Paul McGregor of Wandsworth said: "I am constantly amazed at what our officers do. This is one example of the quick thinking and courage to act that makes me proud to serve alongside colleagues in the Met."