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A happy landing for new arrival Rhiannon

Jo Rostron
14/12/2005

NEW dad Roy Thompson was in the right place at the right time to bring his baby daughter into the world.

The 24-year-old helped deliver Rhiannon at the top of the stairs at his Back o'th' Moss when girlfriend Keeley went into labour. The couple, of Peel Lane, had been planning a home birth for their second child but were taken completely by surprise when Keeley's labour started 11 days early.

Keeley, 20, said: "We'd had the midwife round on Tuesday morning to talk about a home delivery and she explained what would happen because I was starting to get a bit nervous about things. Then I went for a bath in the evening and felt a bit of pain but didn't think too much of it. When I got out my waters broke."

Roy went to his mother's house in Claybank Street to phone the midwife but when he returned, Keeley was already well into labour.

He said: "It looked like the baby was struggling to get out. I was quite calm at the time, but I think we were both in shock and it was only afterwards that it all hit me."

Keeley added: "Roy was really good, talking to me and telling me to push.

"I'm glad he was only five minutes getting back from his mum's or I'd have given birth all on my own."

Midwife Gwenda Eckersley arrived to help in the final stages of the birth of 7lb Rhiannon and Roy said the pair couldn't thank her enough for all the support she provided through Keeley's pregnancy.

"The midwife said she'd never seen anything like it," added Roy. "She thought it must be some kind of record."

But despite her unexpected arrival, Rhiannon had plenty of people waiting to welcome her into the world with 11 of their friends and family gathering downstairs as news spread.

And a big family is something Rhiannon will soon be used to.

Roy, a self-employed plasterer, is the youngest of seven children and for his mum Sandra, the birth means she has a 27th grandchild to dote on.

It is also another notch for Keeley's grandma Susan Chatburn, 54, and her husband Gary.

They were already thought to be Heywood's youngest great grandparents when Keeley's first-born arrived.

Now they have two great-grandchildren. There are celebrations too at the Darnhill home of great-great grandparents Alfred Bidder, 82, and his wife Kathleen, 80.