At least it was handy for baby clothes! Extraordinary moment mother gave birth outside Primark in Birmingham

A pregnant woman who popped out to do a bit of shopping in a busy city centre was forced to give birth outside Primark after going into a very short-lived labour.

Crowds gathered around the woman, who was believed to be alone, as she went into labour on the pavement outside the clothing store in Birmingham's New Street.

The crowd cheered when someone helping the new mother placed the baby on her chest, before she was helped into an ambulance.

It’s believed kind-hearted Primark staff brought out towels from the shop to help.

Welcome to the world: This unlucky woman suddenly went into labour in Birmingham city centre and was forced to give birth outside Primark

Pulling the sheets across: The paramedics shield the woman from the curious shoppers. Right, the mother is wheeled away after the successful labour

A shop keeper nearby said the woman was giving birth for about ten minutes before paramedics arrived and held sheets around the woman.

She was then placed on a trolley in the busy shopping street and her and the baby taken into the ambulance.

One onlooker said: 'We were just walking out of Primark when I saw a crowd of people.

'We thought it was a street performance act. It was only when I walked out that I realised it was a woman giving birth.'

The discarded sheets in the aftermath of the incident. The new mother and her baby were taken to hospital and are reported to be doing well

It's believed kind-hearted Primark staff brought out towels from the shop to help

They added: 'She seemed to be by herself and there were no medics there. She can’t have been there very long as I didn’t see her when we went in.

'It must have literally just whooshed out because someone had just placed it on her chest and everyone cheered. The placenta hadn’t even come out yet.'

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'A call came into us at 13.56pm to say there was a woman in labour on New Street.

'Thankfully an off-duty doctor happened to be there at the time who stepped into help.

'We sent two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle.  It’s a baby girl and it is doing OK and both ambulances handed mother and baby over to City Hospital.'

Crowds mill around after the excitement. Luckily, a doctor was passing when the woman went into labour and was able to assist before paramedics arrived

DM