Hannah Mitchell was turned away from the hospital by staff who claimed she wasn’t ready to give birth (Picture: SWNS)

A woman was forced to give birth on her driveway after being turned away from the hospital.

Hannah Mitchell, 38, was experiencing regular contractions when she and partner Phil Bryan, also 38, arrived at Walsall Manor Hospital on December 30.

Despite being in so much pain she ‘thought she was going to die’, she was told to ‘calm down’ by midwifery staff and sent home.

The couple made their way back but as soon as they pulled into their driveway, Hannah’s waters broke in the passenger seat.

With no choice other than deliver their baby daughter, Phil called 999 and was guided through the process by call-handlers, and successfully delivered Ruby-Lu by the side of their Vauxhall Mocha.

Paramedics arrived at the scene minutes late at 2:22am before taking mother and baby back to the hospital to be checked over, and were both discharged later that day.

‘The whole experience was very traumatic. Me and Phil are doing well but I think we are both still in shock about what happened,’ Hannah said.

‘I don’t think it has properly sunk in yet. When I gave birth, the umbilical cord ripped so I could have haemorrhaged. I keep thinking about how the situation could have gone, but luckily me and Ruby-Lu are both healthy and safe.’

Both Hannah and baby Ruby-Lu are in good health (Picture: SWNS)

After Hannah began experiencing intense contractions on the morning of December 29, she called the hospital three times but was told to stay at home as her contractions were not frequent enough.

However, just after midnight she began to bleed and so she and Phil made their way to the hospital where she was examined by a midwife before being sent away as she was only dilated 1cm.

‘The hospital was so quiet and there were spare beds, so I don’t understand why I couldn’t have waited on the ward,’ Hannah said.

‘Instead, me and Phil had to lug our bags and the baby stuff back to the car. On the way back to the car, I had to stop every two minutes because the contractions were getting so painful and so close.

Partner Phil Bryan delivered the couple’s baby on their doorstep (Picture: SWNS)

‘The pain was so bad I thought I was going to die at one point, and I kept feeling the urge to push.’

Phil admitted they were both terrified when her waters broke, and Hannah barely had time to remove her leggings before giving birth.

He said: ’When I was delivering her, she was like a slippery bar of soap, and I was scared I was going to drop her. I had Ruby-Lu in one hand and was holding the cord in another. At one point she went blue but luckily the paramedics came swiftly to sort her out.

‘Four paramedics and two ambulances arrived with eight minutes. They were all amazing and looked after Ruby-Lu and her mum. The aftercare at the hospital was great too because I think they felt bad at how we were treated before.’

Phil was able to deliver his daughter with the help of 999 operator staff (Picture: SWNS)

Hannah added: ‘Ruby-Lu is an absolute dream. She eats, sleeps and chills out and she really is a miracle. She really is perfect.

‘Me and Phil did it together and we will always have that special memory.’

Jo Wright, deputy director of Midwifery at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: ‘We are sorry to hear that this lady’s birth experience wasn’t the one she’d hoped for and have contacted her to offer our support while we investigate exactly what happened.

‘Once we have a full understanding we will meet with her to share our findings and look at any areas that can be enhanced for our service users.’

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Despite being in so much pain she ‘thought she was going to die’, she was told to ‘calm down’ by midwifery staff and sent home.