A HUSBAND has described how he endured 50 minutes of “sheer hell” after his wife gave birth on the back seat of their car during rush hour traffic.

Lloyd Roberts, 42, and his wife, Manyee, were at their home in Folly Lane, St Albans, when her waters broke at around 6am on Monday morning.

He said: “Our first baby, Lyla, took ages so we thought we had a bit of time and hung around for a little while.”

But when the contractions started, the couple began to make their way to Watford General Hospital, shortly before 8.30am, on what was to be a panic-filled journey that they would never forget.

“We had literally driven round the corner onto King Harry Lane, when Manyee said that the baby was coming,” said Lloyd.

“I didn’t think too much of it, as she was in the back and I couldn’t really see what was going on, but I later found out that she could actually see the head! It just all happened so quickly.”

A few moments later, at 8.30am, Manyee delivered the 7lb 11oz baby girl.

Lloyd said: “I really started to panic at that point, as we were stuck in rush hour traffic and I knew it would take about an hour to get to the hospital. I kept asking Manyee if the baby was okay. It was quite frightening.”

Lloyd was forced to make a mad dash down the hard shoulder of the M1 to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

“It was 50 minutes of sheer hell,” he said. “Anything could have happened.”

When they eventually arrived at the hospital, at around 9.20am, the midwives were waiting in the car park to cut the cord and check that everything was fine with 36-year-old Manyee and the baby, who has been named Jada.

But the drama wasn’t over yet, as Manyee then had to deliver the placenta in the back seat, whilst Lloyd held the newborn in the front.

“There was blood everywhere and there were builders walking around the car park. It all felt so weird,” said Lloyd.

After being checked out the family were allowed home later that day and are all doing fine, despite their frightening ordeal.

Reflecting on the dramatic experience, Lloyd said: “It was nerve-wracking; she literally had about six contractions in total, three of them in the car, and the baby arrived.

“But I was overjoyed at the same time that they were both okay.”