DEBORAH Jones offered to hold the hand of Sally Booth while she gave birth - and ended up delivering the baby herself.

Deborah, of The Brooklyns, Horwich, planned to be on hand to during the home-delivery of the fourth child of her brother and his partner, Sally.

But when tiny Lily Carter put in an unexpected appearance at 3.07am on Saturday morning - after midwives had left - it was down to Deborah.

She phoned a midwife from the Royal Bolton Hospital who talked her through the birth.

She delivered little Lily, who weighed in at seven pounds ten ounces, while dad Jeff Carter soothed his partner's brow.

Mum-of-three Deborah, who says she cannot stand the sight of blood, said: "It was a fascinating and fantastic experience, just perfect.

"I've never had a feeling like that and I've had three children. But it was really frightening as well."

And new mum Sally, who has children aged six, five and two, said: "Deborah was absolutely brilliant.

"She handled it really well, and so did my partner, Jeff.

I wasnt nervous about having Lily at home, but it turned out to be even more special because she was delivered by family.

"It was frightening but once I'd got over that it was really special, a brilliant feeling."

The drama unfolded after two midwives examined Sally, aged 36, of Edge Hill Road, Bolton, at 1.30am.

They left because it did not look as if the baby was on the way. They said they would return for the birth.

But less than two hours later, Sally shouted to Jeff and Deborah that baby Lily was ready to make her entrance - and there was no time to wait for the midwives.

Deborah said: "I rang a midwife from the hospital who talked me through it. She was wonderful, keeping me calm because I was panicking because I'm really squeamish.

"I could see the head, and then the little shoulders came out and I was holding her.

"We were all crying and laughing in a mixture of fear and happiness. It was wonderful.

"The two midwives arrived about 10 or 15 minutes after Lily was born but it felt like forever. None of us went to bed that night."

Sally wanted a home birth because she felt she would miss her other children in hospital.

She said: "Lily is beautiful and seems fine after all the upset. Shes been checked over and is in good health.

"Debbie will definitely be a godmother and a very special auntie."

Hospital spokesman Heather Edwards said it was unusual for a baby to be born without a midwife present but not unique, and the hospital was delighted the midwife was able to help by phone.