Former postman Stephen Tough is used to making sure packages arrive safely.

But this week he made a delivery of a different kind after springing into action to help bring his own baby into the world – in a labour lasting just 10 minutes.

The premature arrival of 5lb 13oz Cassie was even more remarkable, given the Shepway couple had been told they would never have children.

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Mum Cassie Brookman had initially thought she was suffering from Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as false labour, at her home in Westmorland Green last Sunday morning.

But reality dawned when her waters broke shortly after 3pm, almost three weeks before her due date.

The 32-year-old said: "I hadn’t even packed a hospital bag. Steve was on the phone to the paramedics, but Cassie was already on her way.

"He’s quite squeamish and hadn’t even liked the idea of cutting the cord when we’d talked about it beforehand.

"So when he was put in that situation I was really proud of him. It was so quick we didn’t even have time to think about it.

"I just about made it from the bathroom to the bed and she arrived."

At a young age, doctors told Miss Brookman she would never have children, after discovering she had polycystic ovaries, a twisted womb and blocked fallopian tubes.

She said: "Since I was a little girl I have always thought being a mum was what I was put here for, it was all I wanted to do.

"When I first met Steve one of the first conversations I had with him was to tell him that if we did end up together I would never be able to give him children."

Miss Brookman and Mr Tough, now a photographer, then turned to IVF as their only hope of becoming parents.

During the first round Miss Brookman had the heartbreak of miscarrying after several weeks, while she did not get pregnant during the second and third attempts.

But just as the couple were about to give up after three years of trying, on the fourth and final round of treatment they got the news they’d been dreaming of.

They decided to name the baby Cassie after her mum as she's likely to be the only child they will have.

Miss Brookman said: "The whole process was an emotional roller-coaster, and heartbreaking at times.

"All the way through, even when I was getting close to my due date, I didn’t believe it would actually happen, but now she’s here. She’s absolutely perfect, our little miracle."