Forecourts are used to dealing with the odd emergency, from cars limping to their site with a flat tyre, to motorists filling jerrycans for their abandoned cars run out of petrol down the road.
But Pricewatch Group had a different level of distressed motorist arrive at its rural Gulf site in Wivelsfield, East Sussex, last Thursday: a pregnant woman who ended up giving birth to her second child just a few minutes after arriving at the site with her partner.
Amy Holmes and Adam Davies were on their way to the nearby Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, when they realised that their baby was on its way quicker than they had thought. They had just dropped their son Marlow off at nursery when Amy’s contractions became so intense that Adam knew he had to pull over.
“We were waiting at temporary traffic lights leading up to the petrol station when my partner said the baby was coming. I overtook 10 cars sounding my horn to get through, and I leant over and felt the baby’s head,” recalls Adam.
“I thought it would be safer pulling over to the forecourt where there was more space and people to help, than the side of the road,” adds Adam, who then called 999. But before help could be arranged Amy had given birth – two hours and 15 minutes after her waters broke.
“I moved the umbilical cord to the side and because Amy had done all the hard work at that stage he came out quite easily,” says Adam, an accountant by profession. ”Afterwards a woman, who turned out to be medically trained, arrived on the scene to offer us her dog’s blanket to rub the baby and keep him warm.”
The couple, from Brighton, are very appreciative of the help they received from customers, and staff on site who offered hot drinks and reassurance. Thanks to CCTV footage of the event they now know that baby Solomon Emmett was born at 8.46am, weighing in at seven pounds, 14 ounces.
“It all happened a lot quicker than with our first child, and we are so grateful for all of the support the staff at the petrol station and other motorists gave us,” says Adam.
Baby Solomon Emmett Holmes-Davies has escaped from being given a forecourt-related name, although Adam laughs friends had suggested that his middle name might be Morrison in recognition of the Morrisons Daily shop onsite.
“We are now so happy that he is happy and healthy, and this will always be part of his story now,” says Adam.
