A mother has been reunited with the midwife who helped her husband when she gave birth to their daughter on the bathroom floor.

Sarah Hirst, 34, gave birth to daughter Matilda in March at home before she had time to get to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

Her husband Steve, an accountant, supported Sarah through the final stages of labour with the help of a midwife on the end of the telephone.

Now, the couple have returned to the hospital with baby Matilda, now eight months old, to be reunited with midwife Leanne Petherbridge.

Sarah, 34, said: “I’ve often thought about Leanne over the months and wondered if she ever thought about Matilda. You never know if these things happen all the time for midwives.

“Although we didn’t even know her name, Leanne really helped us and Steve was so calm during the whole thing.

“We just wanted to thank her and to get to meet Matilda.”

Sarah was two days over her due date when she started having mild contractions throughout the day on March 3.

By 6.30pm, they were coming faster and stronger so Steve called the labour ward at the hospital to say they were on their way.

However, the contractions started coming every two minutes before they could get out of the house and while Steve called the labour ward again, Sarah felt the urge to push.

She said: “I was on the toilet floor while Steve was on the phone again to the midwife and staff on the labour ward rang an ambulance for us.

“The baby was born in my waters so when I was first pushing, the midwife was able to talk Steve through what was happening and that everything would be ok and he told me.

“He was just so calm and he was relaying everything the midwife was telling him back to me.”

The couple’s baby daughter Matilda was born on the bathroom floor, with Steve catching her in a towel when Sarah’s waters eventually broke.

With Leanne talking to the couple on the phone, Steve went to fetch a hat and clean towels while Sarah cradled Matilda in her arms.

The ambulance arrived minutes later and took Sarah and Matilda to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital to stay in overnight for observation.

Sarah said: “The easiest thing would have been to ask for the midwife when we got to hospital but you get caught up in the moment.

“It was only recently that I got in touch with the hospital and they were able to check through staff rotas to see who could have been on shift that night. They narrowed it down and got in touch with the midwives on duty in the labour ward that night and Leanne remembered us.”

Leanne said: “It’s really nice to meet Sarah and Matilda and I’m happy I was there to help.

“Midwives are often called on to act quickly to help mothers and fathers during labour and I’m pleased that Sarah and Steve felt supported, even over the telephone.”