Nine-year-old Jodie Coupland stunned paramedics who arrived after her mum went into labour - because she had delivered the baby herself.

The cool-headed youngster followed advice given to her by a 999 operator to help her mum, Bev, 30, give birth at their home at Strensall, York.

But the baby boom for York ambulance staff Brian Freeborn and Alf Pickering did not end there. The very next call saw them acting as midwives in York District Hospital car park when Val Gaten, of Tang Hall, gave birth in the back of their ambulance.

Mr Freeborn, who has 27 year's experience in the service, said: "We don't get called to many births, so two in two consecutive calls is incredibly rare."

Both families were today meeting at York Ambulance Station, in Dundas Street, to say a special "thank you" to the crew.

Jodie, a pupil at Robert Wilkinson Primary School, said she rang for an ambulance when her mum feared she would not make it to hospital.

Control room assistant Caroline Bowden then gave Jodie instructions over the phone as the baby, now named Travis, arrived.

Jodie said: "It made me feel weird because I have never done anything like that before. It was the best day of my life.

"We have got a special bond and I like to spend a lot of time cuddling and feeding him."

Bev, of Blacklee Close, who also has a six-year-old daughter, Zoe, said: "It was all a bit of a shock, but Jodie was a real hero.

"I was busy screaming, but she was so calm and just followed the instructions."

The home of Val Gaten, 35, in Fifth Avenue, York, was the next destination for the crew. She was nine days overdue with her fifth child.

She began having contractions just after her husband, Bop, had gone to work, so she called an ambulance and contacted him.

But as she travelled to hospital it became clear that little Harry couldn't wait, and he was born in the hospital car park, weighing in a 8lb 2oz.

"I never expected not to make it to hospital," said Val. It all happened so quickly that I didn't really have time to think about it."

Updated: 10:45 Wednesday, November 26, 2003