A BABY couldn’t face the A13 roadworks, so arrived in the back of an ambulance.

Amy Chalk was delivered by quick-thinking paramedics just off the busy dual carriageway after announcing her arrival in dramatic fashion.

Mum Alison and her partner, Daniel Chalk, were in the back of the ambulance en-route to Basildon Hospital when Amy’s head appeared just before the vehicle hit the A13 roadworks at Stanfordle-Hope.

Alison, 27, from Grays, said: “The head was out by the time we got on the A13 and the paramedics said we were going to have to turn off, just as we were coming up to the roadworks.

“My first thought was ‘is she ok?’, but there were no complications, thankfully.”

Alison, alreadyamum of three, had been to the hospital early onMonday, after her contractions started.

But she was sent home because they were not frequent enough.

As they became closer, Alison and Daniel called for a paramedic and an ambulance arrived at about 6.15pm. As they headed along the A13, the paramedic called on the driver to pull over, so baby Amy could be born.

The ambulance pulled off the busy dual carriageway on to the Manorway, where at 6.56pm and on the bridge over Southend Road in Corringham, Amy was born.

She arrived three days before her due date and weighing five pounds and seven ounces.

Alison said: “At the time it was quite traumatic, but now we can look back and laugh.

“I’d been into Basildon Hospital already that day because my last three children were born without much notice. But they sent me home at about 9am.

“It wasaslow and progressive labour and we ended up calling for an ambulance.

“None of the paramedics had delivered a baby before, but they did really well.They knew what to do and were very calm. They were fantastic.”

Dad Daniel was asked to cut the umbilical cord in the ambulance, before the family were taken to Basildon Hospital.

Amy’s place of birth will be registered as the A1014 Manorway as she was “born before arrival”.

Alison added: “It’s quite rare forbabies tobeborn in Thurrock now. It used to be Orsett Hospital, but now you go to Basildonor Romford. This one was born by the A13! It was a very interesting experience.”

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance service said: “We want to thank the parents for taking the time to commend the ambulance crew and we wish the family all the best. Our crews do a brilliant job and it is great for them to receive the recognition they deserve.”

Roadworks are being carried out on the A13 to widen the carriageways to cope withextra traffic from the DP World superport.