Cornwall baby is born in Camborne pub next to pool table

Pub-goers in a Cornish village were left surprised when they were asked to leave by the managers so they could deliver their baby.

Andy and Bobbie Lord planned for their baby to be born in the bar area of the Waggoners Arms in Camborne.

The unusual birth was the first to happen in a Cornish pub's bar, according to one of the midwives who visited the couple following the delivery.

Punters who were playing on the Waggoners' pool table on Monday (2 January) night were asked by Andy to move table before he proceeded to inflate a birthing pool in its place.

He started putting the water in the pool at the same time as serving customers. At one point a regular told him it was almost overflowing.

The couple had planned a home birth - their third - in the pub, but because of the age of the building were warned about the weight of a birthing pool in their flat above the pub on Trelowarren Street, so they had always planned for Bobbie to give birth beside the bar.

"His due date was actually around Christmas Day - a lot of people were wishing for a Christmas Day birth," said Bobbie.

Andy added: "It had been a quiet night and all of a sudden it got really busy.

"I went upstairs at about 8.30pm and Bobbie was sitting on her gym ball saying quietly 'I'm having contractions every five minutes'.

"I went back up 20 minutes later and she said 'at this rate you're going to miss it'.

"I said 'no chance, I'm going to go and put the birthing pool up'. So I started putting that up in the pub at around 9pm and I didn't say anything to anyone, I just got on with it.

"Some knew we were going to do it, but others didn't have a clue. They were all really excited."

The dad of four added: "I let them know that at any minute they could be asked to get out while we had the home birth. Everyone was so good about it - it was brilliant.

"It was the talk of the pub and will be for a while."

Robin River Lord was born weighing 9lb 4oz at 12.30am on Tuesday (3 January), a brother for Carwyn, 12, Aoife, 8, and Eden, 2.

Carwyn helped his dad during the birth by getting cold flannels while his mum was in the pool.

"It was beautiful," said Andy.

The pub's delighted regulars have since been quick to return to the local with gifts for little baby Robin.