A grandmother has been praised by paramedics after single-handedly delivering her first grandchild in less than an hour.

Samantha Frost, 40, a home carer from North Road in Wimbledon, revealed how she was unphased despite having to be guided through the birth by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) over the phone.

The staff were unable to arrive in time before her 23-year-old daughter, Kayley, gave birth with just three pushes in fifty minutes.

She said: "My daughter woke up about midnight with really bad pains. Then the pains got stronger and she wanted to go to hospital.

"She went into the bathroom and her water broke. I got her onto the bed and rang for an ambulance. I didn’t get scared I just knew it was something I had to do."

Callie Frost was born in the early hours of Monday, March 26, weighing in at 6 lbs 10 oz.

She added: "Child birth can be dangerous even in a hospital. I listened to the operator who was telling me what I had to do. She was wonderful at getting me through it. She kept reassuring me that I was doing well and that helped."

An LAS spokesman said: "We received a call at 2.40am on 26 March to a woman who had gone into labour. When our ambulance crew arrived eight minutes later, the baby had just been born.

“Our emergency call taker gave instructions and reassurance to the caller, who remained very calm and followed all of the advice - she did a fantastic job in what was obviously a very stressful situation. “We’d like to offer our congratulations to the family and we’re pleased that our staff were able to be of help."

New mother, Kayley Frost, 23, also a home carer in Wimbledon, was released from hospital that same evening, apparently without needing any stitches to help her recovery.

On welcoming her first grandchild into the world, Mrs Frost said: "I love her like she’s one of my own.

"She’s absolutely beautiful. They said I did a brilliant job and they just came in and I cut her cord when they were here.

"I think we have that extra special bond because I delivered her."