A92 incident: Police officers deliver baby at the side of busy main road

Two police officers have been hailed as local heroes after a callout resulted in the pair of them delivering a baby on the side of a busy main road.

Constables Marcus Di Meola and Matthew Pirie, and baby Katie on the right pictures: Police Scotland

Constables Marcus Di Meola and Matthew Pirie were called to assist a heavily pregnant woman and her partner who needed to get to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on Monday after they failed to make it to the hospital on time.

The initial task of taking the parents – who wish to remain anonymous – to hospital, quickly turned into the two police officers delivering the couple’s baby on the side of the A92, near Bridge of Don where they had been forced to pull over.

Marcus, 36 and Matthew, 33, were just over an hour into their shift in Aberdeen when they found themselves delivering the child – named Katie.

In a statement issued by Police Scotland, both constables said: "Working in the police, you never know what you'll come across each day and this was certainly one of the more unexpected jobs we have attended.

"It all happened very quickly and it was amazing to help the couple in their time of need - helping people is what we do and why we joined the police. It was a great start to the shift for us and the rest of the shift passed off pretty routinely compared to the beginning of the day.”

The parents of Katie, the newborn, added: “Never did we think whilst writing a birth plan that a roadside delivery could be an option and we are sure for Marcus and Matthew it was the last job they expected to attend on a Monday morning.

"We are so grateful Marcus and Matthew got there so quickly. It was a huge relief to have other people there for the delivery to keep us calm and reassure us.

"We were delighted that the two of them came to visit us in hospital afterwards to check how we all were and honoured that they gifted Katie one of their badges."

It is understood an ambulance took the couple and their newborn to hospital shortly after Katie was delivered.

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