Plymouth mother-of-two gives birth to son in a moving taxi

An impressive mother-of-two was left in the unique position of having to deliver her newborn son while sitting in the front of a moving taxi.

Ebony-Paige Blank, from Barne Barton, welcomed her baby boy, Khai, on 28 February as she travelled in a taxi driven by Bobby Bailey.

Earlier that day, the 23-year-old was in the city centre with her mother when she began experiencing on and off contractions.

Ms Blank's pain soon became so acute that she told her mother she needed to get a taxi and go home, but before they could leave, the expectant mother began bleeding.

She hailed a taxi and her water broke while she was sitting in the front seat of the vehicle.

The mum-of-two said: "I went into town with my mum where I started to experience on and off contractions.

"It got to the point where I told my mum I had to go home, that's when I started bleeding so I rang a taxi.

"I got in the taxi and my water just broke everywhere. We got up to where McDonald's is in Derriford and my son's head popped out.

"Then I had to deliver him all by myself in the taxi. Luckily, I knew what I was doing because I have a two-year-old, so I've been through it before."

Ms Blank alerted Mr Bailey of Taxi First to her situation prior to getting into his car and described him as being "really lovely".

Mr Bailey even went back to visit the 23-year-old mum in hospital and brought presents for both her and her children.

She said: "He was really lovely and got me up to the hospital right away and he even got us some presents in the end.

"He got my newborn son an outfit, got me some flowers and got my two-year-old daughter an Easter Egg and a card."

Mr Bailey also chose not to charge Ms Blank for the fare or any clean-up fees.

Speaking to PlymouthLive about the incident and how he managed to concentrate on the road, Mr Bailey said: "It was weird because obviously she was sat in the front and I knew what was going on but my concentration was just on the road and making sure we got there [the hospital] safe."

In November, a new mum made national headlines when she was left stunned after receiving a £90 bill - £60 for the cleaning fee and £30 for the fare - following the birth of her daughter in the back of a taxi.

Mr Bailey explained his decision not to charge Ms Blank for either the fare or cleaning fee saying: "It was the right thing to do."

He added: "If you ask anyone I know I'm just that sort of person. I haven't got kids myself, I have nieces and nephews, but to go through that with someone else you don't know it's weird. It just felt like the right thing to do."

Mr Bailey has worked as a taxi driver in Plymouth for six years and said the incident is "1,000%" the craziest thing that's ever happened to him.

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