A FAMILY had a trip they will never forget after travelling to a Hampshire attraction with his wife and two children –and returning home with a third.

Malali and Hassan Ali decided to take a day trip to see Thomas the Tank Engine at the Watercress Line, but panic broke out as when Malali went into labour.

Despite not being due to give birth until August 20, she gave birth in around 15 minutes, shortly after arriving at the Alresford terminus.

But Hassan, who lives two and a half hours away in Essex with the rest of the family, says baby Mariyah, is doing well after the drama.

He said: “When we got there she went into labour! I had two children with me and my wife who was about to give birth.”

Panicking, Hassan said he had to try to get his children, who were getting distressed in the chaos, to calm down, while also tending to his wife. He said: “Luckily we were at a quiet end of station. I called for an ambulance which arrived within 10 minutes. When they came they realised that my newborns head was coming out. They said we have to deliver the baby here.”

But when the paramedics told Hussan five minutes later he was a dad to another girl, he said: “It was just such as relief.

“Everyone was amazing, people who didn’t know me were congratulating me.”

He said that his wife’s labour of around 15 minutes compared to 14 hours for his three-year-old son Umar, and 10 hours for his one-year-old daughter Rabia.

Hussan was also full of praise for volunteers at the Watercress Line. He said: “The station manager took my little ones and allowed them to pick any toy from the gift shop.

“We are thinking about holding her first birthday there.”

Following the drama, Watercress Line general manager Jason Houlders said: “I am proud of what all of our volunteers achieve every day, but this really was something very special.

“We are delighted that mother and baby are fine and are looking forward to welcoming the family back to the Watercress Line for a more relaxing visit in the coming months.”