Proud grandmother Pauline Rolfe got more than she bargained for when she agreed to be a birthing partner for her daughter Emma.

Having done the job twice before, she didn’t think twice about jumping behind the wheel of her Ford Ranger shortly after midnight on Sunday to drive 28-year-old Emma to Bradford Royal Infirmary’s maternity unit when she went into labour.

With Emma laid on the back seat and her partner Craig Smith, 30, in the passenger seat, the trio set off for the short drive from the family home in Spring Mill Street, West Bowling, to the hospital.

But just minutes into the journey Emma’s waters broke and then just five minutes later, little Sophie Smith made her entrance in to the world on the back seat of the car at 12.45am – just as Mrs Rolfe drove along Smith Lane.

“I was in a state of shock,” said Emma, who had been having niggling pains all day. “I said ‘the baby is here’, and my mum said, ‘don’t be daft’ – she just kept driving. It was all so quick.”

When they arrived at the hospital a couple of minutes later, Mrs Rolfe parked up and dashed in to get a midwife.

“They said bring her in and we’ll get her delivered and I said, ‘you can’t – she’s here!’” explained Emma. “They took us in and let her (Mrs Rolfe) cut the cord – taxi driver and cord cutter – grandparents are great.”

Mrs Rolfe said: “It was a shock – she was the talk of the labour ward.”

Sophie, who weighed 8lb 10oz, is a sister for Bradley, two, and Hannah, five, and is Mrs Rolfe’s fifth grandchild.

“The nurse said I should be able to have a home birth next time, but there won’t be a next time,” added Emma, “Three is enough.”

Emma’s dad, Stephen Rolfe, had the job of cleaning the car.