A WOMAN has given birth - under the family Christmas tree.

Healthcare assistant Leanne Tighe, 38, had the baby on her living room floor.

Her neighbour and best friend Ashley Brooke delivered baby Amelia, now known as Mimi.

They sent a photo of Mini to Leanne's partner Cameron Lawlor, who was on a bus home from his night shift.

He arrived in time to cut the umbilical cord at the house in Williton.

Leanne said: “I guess if there is one way to cement a friendship, then delivering your friend’s baby must be right up there.''

Leanne's waters broke at about 6.30am on Thursday, November 30.

She called Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, to tell the midwives she would be going in when Cameron returned.

Leanne said: “I had slept on the sofa and woken up with contractions about 4.30am, but because they were nine minutes apart, they do not class it as established labour until they are down to five minutes.

“Then I had four close together and I phoned Musgrove to ask about going in and as I was on my phone my waters broke and they said to make my way in.

“As I changed position, that made baby start to come and I needed to push.”

Leanne’s 14-year-old daughter Ruby was getting ready for school and as she came downstairs baby Mimi’s head was already out.

Ruby called for help from Ashley, who lives across the road.

Leanne added: “I had spoken to Ashley half an hour before and she expected to walk in and see me walking around with contractions.

“She was not expecting me to be on my hands and knees and baby’s head to be hanging out.

“So, Ashley got onto her knees and delivered baby under instructions from the nurse who had stayed on the phone with us.

“The nurse on the phone was amazing and I would love to find out who she was, and the paramedics who came as well.”

Two ambulances sent while Leanne’s baby was being delivered arrived 17 minutes afterwards.

Mum and baby were taken to Musgrove for checks, where Mimi weighed in at a healthy 8lbs 8oz.

Leanne, who also has a son Jay, 17, said her previous shortest labour had been eight hours, so it was a shock to have a baby in just 25 minutes.

She said: “Everybody was saying gosh, I did it without pain relief, but it was so quick I did not have time to think about it.

“I was just worried about the head and I was panicking a bit and was not registering pain or anything because I was trying to hang on until the paramedics got there.

“But once the head came out I knew I had to concentrate and get it together and stay calm.”