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A quick-thinking midwife was still in her gardening gear when she dashed next door to help deliver her neighbour’s baby.
Mandy Petrou, of Colt Place in Herne Bay, had been enjoying an afternoon off when Robert Batchelor came rushing round to say partner Emma Townsend had gone into labour.
And just three hours after ensuring little Sienna was brought safely into the world, Mandy returned to work at the QEQM Hospital in Margate.
The drama unfolded when Emma developed infrequent contractions the day after her second child was due to be born.
She and partner Robert were about to go for a stroll – after Mandy advised it would aid the labour – when the 33-year-old’s waters broke.
“There was a bit of a panic,” Robert, 34, recalls.
“I ran downstairs, told Mandy that her waters broke and that Emma had the urge to push.
“Before that, the contractions were really few and far between. We’ve got a little boy and with him it was quite a long process.”
In her garden at the time, Mandy rushed to attend to Emma, who was in the doorway between her bedroom and en-suite bathroom.
Robert called for an ambulance to get to the house - but just minutes later his daughter was born.
“Mandy ran round with her gardening clothes on and came straight upstairs,” Robert added.
“She worked her magic and was absolutely brilliant. She kept Emma and me calm.
“To have Mandy to hand is nothing short of a miracle and we will forever be in her debt and gratitude.”
“I think she quickly realised that the baby was coming very fast. She delivered our baby on our bedroom floor in under 10 minutes. Mandy said it was a textbook birth.
“We were really lucky to have Mandy – what an amazing lady.”
Sienna was born at 4.48pm on Friday, May 22. Robert says his child and partner have been in good health since the birth.
He added: “Mandy’s been working so hard at the moment with everything that’s been going on, and it just so happened that was her one afternoon off.
“To have Mandy to hand is nothing short of a miracle and we will forever be in her debt and gratitude.”
