Amanda Price and baby Jonathan

But Jon and Amanda Price's high-speed trip to the University of Wales Hospital was moments too late.

Their son, named Jonathan, made an early arrival when he was born in the maternity department's car park at 0445 GMT.

A team of midwives met the couple with a wheelchair but Mrs Price could not move.

"We were at home when Amanda went into labour and everything started happening very quickly," said Jon, 43.

"He added: "I got her into the car for the three-mile journey to the hospital and I knew we were cutting it fine."

Mr Price saw a police car at a set of traffic lights, wound down his window and shouted that he would have to go through on red.

We take a dim view of speeding but in this case it was a real emergency South Wales Police spokesman

"When I wound down the window the officer heard Amanda shouting: 'The baby's head it out.'

"The officer was brilliant, he just told me to put my foot down and I followed his car with its sirens blaring."

The couple, from Fairwater, had been trying for a baby for ten years.

Eventually, 33-year-old Amanda conceived Jonathan, who arrived four weeks early, through fertility treatment.

'Relieved'

She said: "The policeman could see it was an emergency and I remember feeling quite relieved that at least he would help us get to hospital at double-quick time.

"I think every pregnant woman should have a policeman standing by just in case!"

Jonathan weighed in at five pounds and seven ounces and was allowed to go home from hospital the next day.

Mr Price added: "She has tried so hard for a baby and we have been on fertility treatment since 1993.

"She's had an ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages.

"We hadn't given up but this was our last chance."

The proud dad added: "He's a perfect baby and is as good as gold."

The couple also care for three foster children.

A South Wales Police spokesman said: "We take a dim view of speeding but in this case it was a real emergency.

"We were happy to help - it was all in a day's work."