A woman has given birth after emergency services came to her rescue when freak floods blocked her race to hospital.

Juliet Hall, 34, and her 42-year-old husband Phil are celebrating the birth of 6lb 10.5oz Nathan, who arrived three weeks early.

The couple set out for hospital in Exeter, Devon, at around midnight when she began to have contractions. But they were hit by freak weather after reaching the main A30 dual carriageway.

They were among scores of people who had to be rescued from thunder, lightning, torrential rain and hail which forced families out of their homes and caused a string of road accidents.

Mr Hall, speaking at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Exeter, said: "The A30 was covered in ice and hail and we were eventually stopped by floodwater."

He drove straight to the front of the queue of traffic held up by the flood, but was waved down by the police. "I was about to cry when they told me I could not get to the hospital," said Mrs Hall.

The police flagged down an ambulance which was returning up their carriageway having turned back from the floodwater, and paramedics gave Mrs Hall gas and air.

"The police called up one of their 4x4 Range Rovers, and drove us through the shallower floodwater on the other carriageway," said Mr Hall.

An ambulance paramedic travelled with the couple in the police vehicle through the floodwater, until they were transferred to another ambulance which took them on to the hospital in Exeter around 20 miles away, arriving just after 2am.

The emergency services received more than 150 calls reporting flood problems and an evacuation centre was set up at the hospital in Ottery St Mary.

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