LITTLE Joseph Garnett was so eager to meet his family he would wait for no one - not even the midwife.

Joseph, of Clifton Moor, York, gave his mum, Claire Smith, 35 minutes notice of his arrival, making his entrance on the sofa with the help of proud dad, David.

"It all started as a bit of a joke," said Claire, 41. "We'd been to hospital the day before because I'd had some twinges and we parked next to a car with the registration plate Joe 999.

"We thought it was funny as we'd been toying with the name Joseph for the baby, but didn't realise it was a sign of things to come."

With no sign of contractions, Claire was sent home and when her waters broke, assumed she would have a good few hours to get back to hospital.

"I'd just got out the bath so I started drying my hair," she said.

"I didn't feel as though it was going to happen there and then, but the baby had other ideas and within 35 minutes he was here."

By the time she'd reached the bottom of the stairs, Claire knew it was time to push and David hastily called an ambulance.

Claire's seven-year-old son, Jordan, was sent on "ambulance watching" duties in the garden, while David carried out instructions from the 999 operator.

Claire said: "Everything happened so quickly and the head appeared before the ambulance arrived.

"I'm sure Joseph could have been born five or ten minutes earlier, but the operator told David how to hold the head."

Although the ambulance went the wrong way, Jordan directed it to the right house and Joseph was delivered safely.

Mother and son were given the all-clear and enjoyed a well deserved rest in the comfort of their own home.

David, 37, said it was an amazing experience.

"It was tremendous, the only time I was frightened was when the ambulance went the wrong way, but Jordan did a great job," he said.

"We also want to thank all the staff who helped us."

Meanwhile, the friends and family of premature twins have raised £800 to help other babies.

Callum and Jordan Franks, now nine months old, spent ten weeks in York Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) following their birth last October.

A collection at their christening has been donated to the unit's support group to help buy a new ventilator.

Mum Dawn Grad, of Kingsway West, Acomb, said: "It's a very difficult time when your babies are in the unit and the staff do a wonderful job.

"We wanted say thank you for the care they took of Callum and Jordan."

Updated: 09:37 Saturday, August 20, 2005