Car headlights were used to light the course for the landing

The Llantrisant and Pontyclun Golf Club, near Cardiff, was used for an RAF helicopter to pick up the newborn from the nearby Royal Glamorgan Hospital as there were no other suitable landing sites.

The aircraft touched down on the course's 18th fairway on Tuesday, guided by a car's headlights which lit up the makeshift landing pad.

The baby girl, who needed a special ventilator because of a lung problem, was then taken by helicopter for specialist treatment at a hospital in Leicester 150 miles away.

It was the second time in two weeks that the RAF has stepped in to transfer a baby boy with lung and heart condition.

Gale force winds meant that a helicopter was unsuitable to transport him and the RAF brought in one of its biggest transport aircraft - a Hercules - to fly from Swansea to Glasgow.

It landed on the 18th fairway, just missing the green Golf club member Richard Randall

The latest medical drama began when an RAF Sea King helicopter flew from its base at Leconfield, East Yorkshire, to pick up a doctor, nurse and incubator from Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.

The helicopter then travelled on to south Wales for the early morning landing at the golf course.

Golf club committee member Richard Randall said he was first contacted by the emergency services at 0530 GMT on Tuesday.

"They wanted to send a helicopter to the golf course," he said.

"They did mention that it involved a very, very young child and it was a rescue coming in.

Club closed "It landed on the 18th fairway, just missing the green," said Mr Randall.

An ambulance then brought the baby, whose parents are from the Llantrisant area, to the helicopter and the crew took off again for Leicester.

The golf club was closed to members while the drama unfolded.

"Members were turning up to play, but they were most understanding," said Mr Randall.