A MOTHER-of-three has criticised a hospital which sent her home 90 minutes before she gave birth.

Imogen Clark, 28, went to Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath when she started getting contractions but was told she would not be ready to give birth for several hours.

But when Mrs Clark arrived back home in Burgess Hill her labour become more intensive and baby daughter Halcyon was born a short time later.

The baby's umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck but luckily Mrs Clark's mother Maggie Holland was on hand to help get the youngster breathing.

Mrs Clark, who also has two boys aged nine and five, said she was proud of her mother's swift response but critical of the hospital.

She said: "I have a history of quick deliveries and as Halcyon is my third child I had a good idea of when she was likely to be born.

"I was astonished when they sent me home. They must have seen that I had given birth in five minutes the second time I had a baby.

"I went away because these are trained medical staff so you tend to believe them but I should have listened to my instincts. I am just so relieved my mother was there to help. I am shocked it happened."

Mrs Holland rang 999 when it became clear the baby was coming and Sussex Ambulance Service control centre duty manager Barbara Knight talked Mrs Holland through the delivery.

It was one of the first tests of new computer software designed to prompt ambulance staff to ask the right questions and give the best advice.

Halcyon is none the worse for her experience and is thriving well at seven weeks old.

Mrs Clark, who is married to education welfare officer Neil, 28, said: "Quite simply it was a mistake to send me home. We are lucky that everything was fine but what if there had been a really serious problem with Halcyon?

"I'm still pretty angry about it and have spoken to the midwives but have not had any sort of formal apology.

"I just want to make sure this does not happen to someone else."

Mrs Clark did not want to go as she was in pain and did not want to frighten her two other children who were still at home. She said: "The midwife then suggested I go to McDonalds and have a cup of coffee until the children had gone to school. That does not sound like a particularly sensible suggestion to me."

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "We appreciate how distressing this must have been for Mrs Clark and would like to apologise for any misunderstanding.

"When Mrs Clark was examined by our midwives she was not in active labour and was given the normal advice for women - which is to go home where they will be in familiar surroundings but to contact us straight away if their situation changes.

"It can be very difficult to predict how quickly a labour may change which is why we always advise women to contact us at any time - even if they have only just been seen by a midwife.

"We are sorry Mrs Clark is unhappy with the care she received and for any breakdown in communications.

"We would urge her to contact us should she wish to discuss her concerns in more detail."

Mrs Clark's GP has written to the hospital asking for an explanation and she is planning to write and complain herself.