There was an arrival of a different kind at Wateringbury station after an expectant mother gave birth in the car park.

Katey Dingwall went into labour and was being rushed from her Maidstone home to Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury by her partner, Richard Tompsett, when her waters broke less than 10 minutes into the 17-mile journey.

Quick-thinking Mr Tompsett, 28, pulled into the car park off Bow Road, phoned an ambulance and with the help of call handlers, delivered healthy baby girl Taylor just after 9pm in full view of customers at nearby The Railway pub.

Miss Dingwall, 27, said her partner, a builder, had remained calm throughout.

The mother-of-three, from Grove Road, said: “Richard supported our daughter for 15 minutes by clearing her airways until an ambulance arrived and they could safely cut the cord.

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“It was both harrowing and emotional and we are pleased it went smoothly despite the conditions.

“We are very proud parents of a beautiful healthy girl and thankful for the 999 service and their support.

“The hero of the hour was 100% my partner. He handled the whole thing brilliantly.”

“It’s a pity Maidstone Hospital has closed the maternity unit as we probably would have made it on time.

“We passed the turn-off five minutes before my waters broke.”

"It was both harrowing and emotional and we are pleased it went smoothly despite the conditions..." - Katey Dingwall

At less than one-third of the distance to Pembury, the trip to the Hermitage Lane hospital may well have passed without any early appearances.

Miss Dingwall, a retail assistant, said a lady from flats near the station had come to the couple’s assistance and provided them with blankets and a duvet.

The good samaritan had been making a cup of tea for the new mum when the ambulance arrived, and the couple did not have a chance to thank her.

Little Taylor was born last Monday, two days overdue and weighing 8lb. Both she and mum are now at home.

Miss Dingwall said older brother Jenson, seven, was over the moon with the arrival, while four-year-old Ollie was still getting used to his new sister.

Campaigners fought a long-running battle against the moving of women’s and children’s services from Maidstone Hospital to be centralised at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury.

Opponents argued that the 16-mile journey between the two hospitals was too far for many women in labour.

Specialist maternity services were transferred to Pembury in 2011, leaving a birthing centre staffed by midwives at Maidstone.

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