Yorkshire man becomes a grandfather for first time - when he helped deliver baby in Tesco car park

The 38-year-old from Lightcliffe, in West Yorkshire, came to the rescue when his step-son’s girlfriend, Morgan Broadley, went into labour. He was driving her and step-son Terence Sweeney, 21, to Calderdale Royal Hospital when they realised little Esmae was almost here.

Philip pulled into the car park near Tesco Express, on Leeds Road in Hipperholme, and took on the role of the midwife, delivering the baby girl in the back of his car. He even had to unwrap the cord from around the baby’s neck.

"It just happened so fast,” he said. “Anyone would have done the same.”

Morgan, 20, was 10 days past her due date last Tuesday (December 6) when she started having labour pains. Terence’s mum and Philip’s wife Jamie Metcalfe suggested Morgan have a bath – but the pains were getting stronger.

"I've had three myself and with it being her first, I thought there'd be hours to go,” said Jamie.

Because Jamie doesn’t drive, she rang Philip – who was at the shop they run, Mrs B’s Sandwich Hut on Wakefield Road in Lightcliffe – and asked him to drive Morgan and Terence to hospital. But they only got as far as Tesco when it became clear they did not have time to get to Halifax.

"I knew I had to keep calm. It only took a couple of pushes and she was here,” said Philip. "The cord was wrapped twice around her neck but once I’d got her untangled, she started breathing and had a little cry.”

Philip then drove the couple and their new arrival to Calderdale Royal Hospital where a team of midwives were waiting for them. Esmae weighed 7lb 4oz when she was born, and both she and her mother are doing well and are now home.

"It was an hour and a half altogether,” said Jamie. “It's the fastest labour I've known, especially with it being her first. Philip was so calm. I'm so proud of him.

Philip, who also runs a pop-up coffee firm – Coffee Bar Hire.com – said: “Esmae is just so beautiful. I can’t stop cuddling her.”