April 13, 2018 3.02 pm This story is over 71 months old

Parents reunited with crew who helped deliver baby in back of snow-buried ambulance

Baby, it’s cold outside.

Sarah, Gareth, daughter Emily and baby Arlo were reunited with the ambulance crew and Simon the gritter. Photo: EMAS

Parents whose baby was born in the back of an ambulance when their car and the emergency vehicle got stuck in snow have been reunited with paramedic heroes and a gritting saviour.

Sarah Anderton, from Grantham, was on her way to hospital on February 28 with her husband Gareth when her contractions became stronger and their car became stuck on the A1.

Gareth, worried his wife would not make it to the hospital, called 999.

Emergency call taker Lucy Channer was able to direct Sarah and Gareth to meet the ambulance on a side road away from the dual carriage way.

Unfortunately their car had become gridlocked in traffic and stuck in the snow on the A1. Simon Greaves, a Gritter from Kier, working on behalf of Highways England, was on the A1 in his gritting machine when Gareth was able to get out of the car and ask for his assistance.

Driving around Stamford, looking for Sarah and Gareth, Duty Operations Manager Rachael Wallace was first on scene, shortly followed by ambulance crew Paramedic James Olgesby and Technician Phillip Lane.

After getting Sarah in the back of the ambulance, it soon became apparent that baby Arlo was going to arrive sooner than expected, and within 10 minutes he was welcomed into the world.

Sarah said she thought they were leaving to go, but realised they the ambulance was not moving.

Rachael added: “We started trying to move but due to vehicles being stuck everywhere we soon had to stop and became stuck ourselves. We tried putting the snow socks on the ambulance; however, a gentleman from close by came to help with his 4×4. He pulled us out.”

Once the ambulance was free, Sarah was transported to Peterborough hospital for her and Arlo to be checked over.

Sarah said: “I was sat in Peterborough hospital, holding Arlo thinking, did this really just happen to us? I am grateful to everybody that day for their help.”

Sarah, Gareth, daughter Emily and baby Arlo were reunited with the ambulance crew and Simon at Grantham Ambulance Station on Friday, April 13.