A petrified mother who gave birth to her premature son in the back of an ambulance is supporting our campaign to retain full maternity services.

Erica Houghton, 32, delivered Jack, who weighed 2lb 6ozs, with the help of a midwife and paramedic, in the service vehicle along the M6.

She was being transferred from the West Cumberland Hospital to Manchester where she was to due to give birth to her son, 10 weeks early.

Erica, was three cms dilated, and the Manchester hospital was the nearest centre to handle her and her premature baby.

However, within 45 minutes and travelling along the motorway, she became fully dilated and gave birth.

She said: "I was terrified something was going to happen to Jack. I thought 'Is my baby going to survive?'''

Erica was accompanied in the ambulance by West Cumberland Hospital midwife, Dawn Melville, who needed to manually pump air into Jack's lung.

"Dawn was amazing. Without her I'm not sure Jack would have survived,'' she said. "I was absolutely petrified. No-one from my family was there which was terrifying.

"I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy. It was so traumatic I sometimes can't sleep for reliving it.''

The birth, which happen in March 2015, was a further shock to Erica who had not realised she was pregnant until she was 25 weeks along.

After giving birth, Erica and Jack were then picked up from the M6 by an emergency ambulance taken to Carlisle Infirmary, before staying for several weeks at Middlesbrough General Hospital and returning to the West Cumberland Hospital.

"I want to share my story to show just how quickly things can turn around,'' Erica, of Workington, said. "It only took 45 minutes for me to go from three cms to fully dilated.''

Jack, who is now 18 months, is thriving. Erica added. "He is my little diamond.''