A mum-to-be made an emergency stop minutes after passing her driving test – screeching to a halt outside a hospital before hurrying inside to give birth.
Emma French, 20, went into labour as she was taking the test and did not tell the examiner, even though her contractions were only 10 minutes apart.
And despite the pain, she passed and then drove herself to hospital to have her first baby. Emma was not due for another month but had woken at 4am to find her waters had broken.
Yet when the baby did not arrive, she decided to sit the 8.40am test despite pleas from her family.
She said: “Everyone was telling me to go to the hospital but I had waited so long for my driving test, I was determined to do it.
“I didn’t dare tell the examiner I was in labour in case he made me cancel the test. The nurses in the hospital were very confused because I was getting congratulations cards for both my baby and my driving test. When I told them, they were all in shock. They couldn’t believe it.”
The warehouse worker, who lives in West Lothian,UK, with her parents, explained: “I had failed my test in March and had to wait for another.
“I knew I wouldn’t have another chance until the baby was a little older so I didn’t tell my instructor or the examiner what was happening and just got on with it.
“When I am determined to do something I don’t stop until it’s done and it’s the same with this. It was really scary and everyone must think I’m crazy but it ended the way I had hoped.”
Boyfriend Neil MacFarlane, 21, her brother Scott, 22, and her mum Rhonda, 44, had urged her to cancel the 45-minute test and go straight to hospital.
And despite offers of a lift after she called at her grandparents’ house to break the news about passing her test and being in labour, Emma was keen to make use of her new licence and drove herself to the maternity ward.
Her labour lasted another six hours and baby Eva MacFarlane was born at 7.30pm.
Proud new mum Emma added: “I am loving being a mother. It’s the best job in the world.
“I can’t wait to tell Eva this story when she’s older and it’s definitely one for the grandchildren.
“And one good thing about being in labour that day – it really killed my pre-test nerves.”
