THE phrase doorstep delivery took on a new meaning for expectant mother Claire Timmens.

Her baby was in such a hurry to be born that he did not wait for her to make it out of her front door.

Paramedics Steven Verity and Alan McQuaker ended up delivering the healthy baby on the doorstep after Mrs Timmens unexpectedly went into labour.

Yesterday, Mrs Timmens, 37, and her husband, Rob, 39, went home from hospital with their - as yet unnamed - new son, and thanked the paramedics for their double-quick help.

Mr Timmens called an ambulance, which arrived within minutes at their home in Neville Road, Darlington.

Shortly after their arrival, the paramedics delivered the baby at 6.15am, on Monday.

He said: "I moved the car off the drive so they could get the stretcher out of the door, and I was sat in the car waiting for them to get out when they signalled for me to come over.

"Claire was there giving birth on the stretcher.

"It was so cold there was steam coming off the baby's head."

Neighbour Jan Robson, who had been called to look after the couple's three-year-old daughter, Sophie, provided a makeshift screen with a blanket as early-morning dog-walkers sauntered past the house.

Mr Timmens said: "The paramedics were brilliant, they really put Claire at ease.

"When they arrived and I told them you could see the baby's head, they looked at each other as if to say 'Oh God' - but they got on with it and were really professional.

"We're now trying to think of a name.

"Everyone says we should call him Neville as he was born in Neville Road.

"But I don't think it will be Neville."

Mr Verity said he was pleased that mother and son were healthy.

He said: "This was my first delivery, so it was a bit of a baptism of fire.

"It wasn't quite like the textbooks."