BOY, did this couple get a shock when their baby arrived in a hospital car park!

Katherine Daly couldn’t quite make it to the maternity ward in time and so gave birth outside Southend Hospital.

She and husband Aron got a double surprise when her baby turned out to be a boy.

The couple had been told three times by medics they were expecting a girl, but their bouncing 8lb 10 oz baby was not.

Katherine went into labour at 10.40pm on Monday – her actual due date. But things proceeded so quickly Aron had to bundle her into his car and get her to hospital.

The couple were met by midwives who decided Mrs Daly would not make it to the maternity ward. Instead they commandeered an ambulance outside the hospital and delivered 8lb 10oz Stuart James Daly at 11.20pm, just 40 minutes after his mum went into labour.

The couple, who had three scans which said the baby was a girl, had spent several weeks buying pink clothes in anticipation of the birth of a daughter.

Mrs Daly, 29, who has a ten-year-old daughter Rachel from a previous relationship and a 16-month-old daughter Lexie with Mr Daly, welcomed the unexpected addition of a son to her family.

She said: “By the time I got to the hospital I couldn’t walk. The midwives had me kneeling on a wheelchair and said they didn’t think I was going to make it, so they hijacked an ambulance that was just about to leave, and Stuart was born within a few minutes.

“They were fantastic. It was a few minutes before we realised we had a boy. I thought I would be taking home a baby called Lacie, but instead we have Stuart, but he’s lovely.”

Proud dad, Aron, 30, of Chichester Road, Southend, was also beaming with pride.

He said: “Katherine started getting pains so she had a warm bath, but the pain got worse so I called the hospital to say we were coming.

“By the time we were outside the hospital she was starting to push.

“Four midwives were waiting for us and said she was so close to giving birth they just took over an ambulance.

“It came as a bit of a shock to find out we had a boy, but we’re just glad he’s healthy. We’re hoping we can exchange some of the pink baby clothes.”