It was a speedy delivery for a teenage mum when she gave birth to her first-born – on the back seat of a taxi.

Charlotte Ford’s baby boy wasn’t due for another fortnight when the mum-to-be began having contractions at home in Griffe Road, Wyke, Bradford.

But when the 19-year-old started having the contractions in quick succession, she knew she didn’t have much time.

Her mum Tracy, 36, quickly phoned Bradford Royal Infirmary where staff told her to call a taxi.

A minicab from Wyke taxi firm CJs arrived and taxi driver Keith Hardaker took the two women and the baby’s dad Jude Chiemeka, 25, on a mad dash to the delivery ward.

Charlotte said: “I had started getting contractions at 6.20am and my mum didn’t believe it was labour at first because I wasn’t in enough pain, but I knew the baby was coming.

“I was trying to control it as best I could but when we got to A and E at the hospital, I could feel myself giving birth.

“I was excited but nervous as well. The taxi driver was just trying to get us there as fast as he could but was really nice about it all.”

Tracy, 36, said: “His head was there and I spun round to the taxi driver and said ‘put your foot down, the baby is being born now!’ “My first reaction was ‘oh my god the baby’s coming’ and I didn’t know what I was doing- I just did my best.”

Little Tobias was born as they approached the hospital, weighing 6lb 1oz.

The healthy newborn was taken into the BRI with his mum on a wheelchair.

Mum and baby were at home recovering over the weekend.

Charlotte said: “It was all quite a shock at first but everything is fine now”

Tracy added: “He is my first grand child. It is brilliant. We are absolutely overjoyed.”

Keith Hardaker, 48, of Oakenshaw, who was driving the taxi, said: “I didn’t think she was going to give birth and the next minute I heard her mum say ‘the head’s out’ so I put my foot down.

“We were going to pull over but we weren’t far from the hospital so I carried on. There were nurses waiting to meet us when we arrived. It’s certainly been a talking point with other customers and drivers.”