A father took a crash-course in midwifery when his partner gave birth to their second son on the bathroom floor.

Jack Paine had ambulance staff on the phone to help the couple through the ordeal at their home in Wilbury Road, Hove.

The 33-year-old was woken by his wife Katherine at 4am on Saturday, August 30.

Mr Paine said: “We thought there was nothing to worry about but the contractions ramped up from there. By 7.30am, I figured we had two hours, at least.”

However, things changed and an hour later he dialled 999.

Mr Paine said: “It was clear we weren’t going to get out of the flat to the hospital in time.”

He was guided through the labour by 999 staff keeping him calm as an ambulance was on its way.

The couple’s first son, Elliot, now 18 months old, was the end result of a gruelling 48-hour labour.

Mr Paine said: “In my mind, because the first labour was so long I was getting worried that there could be complications.”

He still thought the ambulance would make it before the baby did but, in the end, he delivered his second child, Benjamin Paine, at about 8.50am.

The ambulance wasn’t far behind. “They buzzed the door about a minute after the baby arrived,” Mr Paine said.

“Part of it was shock, part of it was relief. I could tell the baby looked healthy.”

The ambulance staff helped him cut the umbilical cord.

The paramedics had a lasting influence, too. Benjamin’s middle name, Craig, comes from the first medic on the scene.

Mr Paine added: “We were amazed by the support from the 999 staff and are very grateful to them.”

Mrs Paine, 35, said: “It was much better than the first time round.

“Jack did a very good job. He didn’t panic or freak out. He was all the medical people in one.”