A father whose baby was born in a taxi two minutes before he and his wife reached the hospital has spoken of the “surreal” nature of the couple’s experience.

Chris O’Connor, 35, called Chase Farm Hospital at 4.45am on Tuesday, January 17, but was told his wife Kelly, 34, would probably have many hours to wait before their first child was born.

He booked a taxi with Enfield-based company Lavender Hill Cars after Mrs O’Connor’s waters broke 45 minutes later, but before they reached the hospital at The Ridgeway in Enfield, baby Charlie’s head emerged.

Mr O’Connor, who lives with his wife in Halifax Road, said: “It was quite surreal. We knew we couldn’t panic because we did not want to stress out the baby or each other.”

Midwives at the hospital jumped into the cab once it had arrived at the hospital to help the couple and cut the baby’s umbilical cord.

Mr O’Connor said: “The taxi driver didn’t say a thing. I think he was in shock. He was driving really carefully but when I said the head was out he started moving a lot faster.

“The hospital staff were brilliant. They were really quick coming out of the hospital and dealing with us.

“When we got there they had finished a long 12-hour shift so it was probably the last thing they wanted to deal with.”

Baby Charlie was born at seven pounds five ounces, and is recovering at home from mild jaundice.

Mr O’Connor said he was grateful that the pair had been watching TV show One Born Every Minute, because otherwise he would not have known what to do.

Mrs O’Connor, who spent 12 hours in hospital before being discharged, said she would opt for a home birth if the couple have another child in the future.