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'True gent' lorry driver gets pregnant woman to hospital in Essex | 'True gent' lorry driver gets pregnant woman to hospital in Essex |
(35 minutes later) | |
A new mother has thanked a lorry driver who carried her car over a flooded causeway while she was in labour. | A new mother has thanked a lorry driver who carried her car over a flooded causeway while she was in labour. |
Kelly Brinkman was in labour and waiting for 3ft 6ins deep (1.2m) sea water to recede on The Strood Causeway from Mersea Island, Essex. | Kelly Brinkman was in labour and waiting for 3ft 6ins deep (1.2m) sea water to recede on The Strood Causeway from Mersea Island, Essex. |
Justin Tacey, 45, offered to put her car on his lorry and drive across. | Justin Tacey, 45, offered to put her car on his lorry and drive across. |
Mr Tacey inched through the rising tide to get her on the road to hospital, where her breech baby girl was delivered by Caesarean section. | |
Ms Brinkman and partner Paolo Pereira had driven to different places to get off the island last Thursday but were prevented by the high tide. | Ms Brinkman and partner Paolo Pereira had driven to different places to get off the island last Thursday but were prevented by the high tide. |
Ms Brinkman said: "I am just so grateful to Justin. He probably saved the baby's life because she was in a breech position and well on her way. The only way to save her was a Caesarean section. | Ms Brinkman said: "I am just so grateful to Justin. He probably saved the baby's life because she was in a breech position and well on her way. The only way to save her was a Caesarean section. |
"We have named her Lillie. She is now fine but always hungry and joins her sister Olivia." | |
Mr Tacey, who works for Emmitt Plant at Diss in Norfolk, said he had been on the island making a delivery and was waiting for the coastguard to let him cross back over the causeway. | |
"I noticed a man looking panicky on the phone and we got chatting," he said. | |
"He said his partner was in labour and he was worried as it looked like a long wait for the tide to go down." | |
Mr Tacey said he spoke to the coastguard team and suggested he could carry the couple's Ford Kuga through the water on the back of his lorry. | |
"It took about five minutes to cross the half mile causeway slowly and carefully," he added. | |
West Mersea Coastguard also paid tribute to Mr Tacey, calling him a "true gentleman". | West Mersea Coastguard also paid tribute to Mr Tacey, calling him a "true gentleman". |