SARAH Woodman and mum Helen both work at a Caldicot nursing home but the latest addition to the family has gone one better – by being born there.

Ms Woodman was on her way to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport with her mum and partner Matthew Atkins but little Jacob decided he could not wait that long.

They had reached Rogiet when the contractions were happening so quickly that they turned around and headed for the familiar surroundings of the Cherry Trees Nursing Home nearby in Caldicot.

The 27-year-old was taken into the lounge and 20 minutes later Jacob was born with the help of home manager Gill Jones, a trained nurse who also lives close to Sarah in Pill Row, Caldicot.

Jacob Mathew Atkins arrived at 1.40pm on Wednesday, September 17 – while the residents were having lunch in the dining room opposite.

Mum and baby were taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital by ambulance and three hours after birth he weighed in at 7lbs 9oz.

Ms Woodman said: "In the hospital they called him the nursing home baby. "I don't really know what happened – it's all a bit of a fuzz.

"I started my contractions at home but I couldn't get hold of my partner at work. "I thought I had plenty of time so I had a shower and washed my hair."

She eventually managed to contact partner Matt, who is a team manager at Subway at the Magor Services, and started the 15-mile journey to the hospital.

Ms Woodman, who is now a mum-of-two, said: "I remember getting into the car and driving past Cherry Trees and mum asking if I wanted to stop there.

"I said no because I thought we would make it but when we got to Rogiet and I knew something was happening and I couldn't stop it.

"Matt turned around and we came to Cherry Trees. I can remember walking through the doors and the next thing I remember is the cook (Yvonne Gulliford) congratulating me and asking if dad wanted to hold the baby and I realised he was here."

Paramedics arrived just after Jacob was born and he was taken to the Royal Gwent where "he had a good feed straight away".

Ms Woodman, a housekeeper at the home said: "I owe Cherry Trees more than my life. If we hadn't come here we would not have made it to the hospital.

"I've worked here since February and mum has been here for 18 years so I've been part of Cherry Trees for most of my life."

Manager Gill Jones – who has been at Cherry Trees since it opened in 1992 – said the home's residents – the oldest of whom is 102 – were thrilled by the birth.

She said: "The first we knew about it was when they arrived.

"We brought Sarah into the lounge and put down some clean duvets. She was on her knees, Jacob's head appeared and then I caught him in my arms.

"He had the cord around his neck, so that was scary for a minute, but I rolled him over, it unwound and he breathed.

"The residents were really excited and we told them what was going on but they knew what was happening because Sarah was quite vocal.

"Jacob is very much part of the Cherry Trees family."