MOTHER-TO-BE Joanne Cook had to drive herself to the hospital in labour because her husband had drunk too much.

With a month to go before she was due to have their first child, her husband, Neville, was drinking over Christmas while she stayed sober.

But when she went into labour on Christmas Eve, Mr Cook, 34, was over the limit so he could not drive her to hospital.

Knowing she had to get to the delivery suite at the University Hospital of North Durham as soon as possible, Mrs Cook, 31, started to worry.

She said: "Neville was too drunk to drive, so we tried to think of anyone else who could give us a lift, but it was 1am on Christmas Eve.

"Most people would either have been in bed or would have also had a few to drink.

"And we didn't stand a chance of getting a taxi."

So she decided to drive herself and her husband to the hospital.

She said: "My waters had broken and the contractions were not too bad, so I covered the driving seat of the car in towels and off we went."

Within minutes of arriving at the hospital, Mrs Cook's labour started in earnest and at 9.40am, Grace Charlotte Cook was born, weighing 5lb 13oz.