THE captain of a Newhaven to Dieppe ferry sprung to the aid of a passenger who went into labour midway across the English Channel.

Côte D’Albatre senior captain Matthias Bidet helped Sukurat Adeola Abdul Salam give birth to Mustafa at 3.50am just as the ferry passed the Dieppe breakwater.

He was aided by a doctor at Purpan Hospital in Toulouse.

M. Bidet said: “The ship was one and a half hours from Dieppe and speed was already set at the maximum. As I have five young children myself, one of only six months, I knew we had to prepare for a birth on board.”