Baby Megan Lacey could not wait to get to hospital to see in the New Year.

She was born in a lay-by on the A48 after mum Katy realised she wasn't going to make it to the maternity unit in time.

Katy, from Lydney, was on her way to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in the back of an ambulance when Megan put in an appearance just an hour after everybody else had toasted the arrival of 2013.

She weighed in at a healthy 6lb 1oz on the road between Blakeney and Newnham-on-Severn at 1.06am on January 1.

"Once she'd decided to come, there was no stopping her," said Katy. "She certainly arrived in style.

"I think everybody was a bit shell-shocked but it all turned out fine. It's a lovely start to the New Year."

Megan was due on December 27 but had been threatening to put an appearance for weeks when Katy went into labour on New Year's Eve.

The 27-year-old mum thought she had plenty of time because she'd had a long labour with first daughter Jessica and wanted to be sure because she'd already had several false alarms.

But by the time she called friend Donna

Johnson to take her in, it was too late to go by car.

Husband Michael, 34, who does not drive, called an ambulance at 12.03am but as they sped along the A48 Katy felt the baby's head.

"I knew she was coming and by the time we pulled over and the second paramedic got into the back of the ambulance, she was there," said Katy.

"I think the paramedics were shocked and relieved because they had never done a delivery before."

Dad Michael, who works in the Range, said: "To be honest it was quite scary. When she said the baby was there and the ambulance pulled over I thought, 'Oh my God'. It was such a relief to see her. I suppose she just didn't want to wait."

Mum and baby were released from hospital the same day.

Katy's mum Ceri said: "Everybody else is shocked but Katy has taken it all in her stride. That's the kind of person she is."

It wasn't just Katy who kept 999 services busy. Paramedics across the South West dealt with 467 calls in three hours compared with 79 on an average Tuesday night.