ANDREA Collitt is more used to being on the other side of the story.

But the Gazette chief reporter found herself taking centre stage as husband Tony James expertly delivered the pair’s first baby, Reuben, at their home, in Highwoods, Colchester.

Sporty Andrea had enjoyed a relatively glitch-free nine months pregnancy including keeping up swimming and gentle work-outs at the gym.

But all that changed when her waters unexpectedly broke shortly after 10pm last Tuesday.

On the advice of her midwife, she tried to go back to bed but her contractions soon started with a vengeance.

Andrea, 32, said: “By midnight the contractions got a bit worse so Tony called the midwife again, who said she’d head over when they were three minutes apart.

“A couple of hours later, they started to speed up but were still a bit inconsistent but I got a pushing sensation.”

PE teacher Tony, 34, added: “Come 3.20am, Andrea was on all fours on the living room floor but going by the variation in contractions I still thought we had some time so sent a quick email from my phone to work to say I wouldn’t be in on Tuesday.

“Andrea told me to call the midwife again saying she really had an urge to push but the midwife - who was based about half an hour away - advised an ambulance should be called for any further developments.”

But minutes later, as Tony was again on the phone to the midwife, Reuben’s head popped out.

Tony added: “I frantically said to the midwife: ‘The head’s out! The head’s out! Oh my God the head’s out!’”

The midwife told the pair to call 999 immediately.

The new dad, who grew up in East Bergholt, added: “The 999 operator’s reply was: ‘On the next contraction the head’s coming out.’

“Andrea seemed fairly calm about it but I was now in the situation where I had no choice but to deliver my own baby.

“It was very scary and I had the midwife and the 999 operator both trying to give me instructions at once on two different phones.

“Moments later, the rest of the baby pretty much popped out into my arms and I was relieved the baby was crying straight away and was a good colour.

“We both couldn’t have been more relieved to see flashing blue lights outside our house as the first responder arrived.”

Medics then checked over Andrea and Reuben, who weighed in at a healthy 7lbs 4oz an was officially born at 3.40am - five days before his due date.

Since the birth, committed Tony, head of Year Nine at Helena Romanes School, in Great Dunmow, has even found time to attend a parents’ evening.

He added: “I felt like a celebrity after news of Reuben’s dramatic arrival had done the rounds.

“A few days later a midwife was doing a check up on Reuben and we joked how it was fortunate my sports skills paid off when it came to being on hand to catch my baby. We are grateful for everyone’s kind words. Reuben is doing well and already showing signs of being an ‘on the go’ baby - much like his parents.

“We are grateful to the midwives at One to One and the ambulance service for their professionalism and support.”