A father-to-be missed the moment his baby son came into the world – despite sitting next to his wife as she gave birth in his CAR.
Accountant Olly Scott, 22, was rushing his heavily-pregnant wife Nicola, 24, to hospital as she battled with contractions in his Nissan Sunny.
But as he drove through the gates of Gloucester Royal Hospital his wife felt the need to push and suddenly gave birth to their newborn baby boy.
Olly was so busy trying to find a parking space that he failed to notice his son was lying on the passenger seat next to him – and repeatedly assured Nicola they would get there ”in time”.
Nicola finally managed to divert Olly’s eyes and he looked round to see why she was causing such a fuss – only to see his newborn son staring back at him.
Olly, who lives with Nicola and their three-year-old son Jacob at Uley, Glos., said it was a ”huge shock”.
He said: ”I wasn’t thinking about anything other than getting Nicola to the hospital so she could have the baby.
”Both of us had no idea she was so far gone. It took us half an hour to drive to the hospital and in that time she had given birth.
”He is absolutely lovely and doing great.”
Nicola’s waters partially broke at 10pm on May 14 – a day after she was due to give birth – but she did not think she was far enough along to go to hospital.
Her contractions were just three minutes apart but she suddenly had two very large contractions and decided to go to hospital at 1.30am.
Nicola and Oliver jumped into the car and dropped off son Jacob with friends – but when she was standing on the friend’s driveway her waters suddenly broke at 1.45am.
The couple sped towards the hospital – a 45 minute journey – and were driving around the car park when Nicola suddenly felt the need to push.
Little Alexander was born just after 2.30am weighing 7lb and 14oz – with his little body falling onto the passenger seat of the car as Nicola was leaning out the window.
Oliver continued to drive round the car park and was telling Nicola she would be ”fine” – until she screamed at him to look round and he saw his baby son had already arrived.
Nicola, who is a full-time mum to little Jacob and Alexander, said: ”I was due to give birth at home and I had no idea how close I was.
”Olly was driving round the car park desperately trying to find the entrance and I was hanging half out of the window because the contractions were so strong.
”I said to him ‘I think I can feel the head’ and he was driving and trying to reassure me. He had absolutely no idea I had given birth.
”I was trying to tell him but he didn’t really know where he was going so he had his eyes on the road.
”He turned and looked round and saw there was a baby and pulled over. He was stunned.
”I was so lucky Alexander didn’t fall onto the floor.”
Nicola and Oliver and little Alexander were attended to by midwives and were checked over but allowed home later in the morning as they were both healthy.
They are now recovering at home, where Jacob is ”thrilled” to have a little baby brother.