FIRST-TIME parents who had a terrifying early-morning birth have said a massive thank you to the 'amazing' midwives, nurses and paramedics who helped them out.

Harpreet and Hardeep Gill have said they can't thank the NHS enough for delivering their baby girl Amara Kaur into the world safe and sound.

They also want to celebrate the midwifery team at their local community hospital, whose future is currently looking uncertain amid a major county health shake-up.

Mr and Mrs Gill, who live in East Challow just outside Wantage with Mr Gill's mum and dad, met three years ago in Punjab, India, and were married a year later.

The couple, who help Mr Gill's parents run Barnards Way Post Office in Charlton, couldn't wait to have a child together, but weren't prepared for how scary it could be.

Their ordeal started at 2am last Friday, September 22.

Mrs Gill, 25, who also works as a cleaner at King Alfred's Academy in Wantage, started feeling unwell, getting sharp abdominal pains.

Being nine months pregnant, her mother-in-law Pat drove her to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, only to be told she was not ready to give birth yet.

Mother and daughter-in-law drove back to Wantage, but just hours later at 8am Mrs Gill went into labour for real.

Mr Gill, 35, said: "After the JR sent her home, my mum told her to try to go back to sleep, but she was in too much pain.

"We didn't know what to do so we took her downstairs but she said she couldn't sit down, so we panicked.

"Then, all of a sudden, she went into labour."

The family called 999, and the first person to arrive was a first responder from Didcot – a volunteer who signs up to respond to emergency calls and provide first aid before an ambulance can arrive.

The family were hoping the first responder would tell them to drive back to hospital, but instead she told them that Mrs Gill was going to have to give birth at home.

She called the midwifery team at Wantage Community Hospital, and three midwives sped to the house, followed by an ambulance full of paramedics.

Mr Gill said: "Our house was just full of people from the NHS – doctors, trainee doctors, midwives, people from the ambulance – it was really, really good and encouraging.

"We were just amazed that all this happened so quickly."

Baby Amara arrived at 9.11am, weighing 71b 2oz, a healthy, happy bundle of joy.

The paramedics left, but the midwifery team stayed for another three hours to make sure everything was ok.

Mr Gill said: "All I can say is thank you so much to the NHS staff – they've been amazing.

"They do absolutely phenomenal work."