A PUZZLED hospital porter got the shock of his life when he spotted his wife in A&E holding a newborn baby as the couple had not even known she was pregnant.

Peter Gilliver asked Claire Hubbard why she was holding a baby and was stunned when she replied: "Its YOUR son ... congratulations!"

Peter, 26, and Claire, 23, were clueless about the pregnancy and had thought she had simply been putting on a bit of weight.

But after Peter set off to work a night shift at Rotherham District General Hospital, South Yorkshire, Claire started getting pains in her stomach.

And while she had a relaxing bath she suddenly gave birth to baby son Aaron - weighing in at a healthy 6lb 5oz.

Claire was rushed by paramedics to the hospital where Peter worked and he was told she was in the accident and emergency department.

She said: "Pete went really pale when he saw me lying on a stretcher and looked puzzled when he saw I was holding a baby.

"He asked me 'whose baby is that?'

"He went even paler when I said 'Its yours...congratulations'. He was speechless.

"It was such a crazy situation. We hadnt realised I was pregnant."

Crazy

Mum Claire had been working as a ward clerk at the hospital on an early shift on her 23rd birthday.

She had then gone to bed with stomach pains and a headache while Peter went off for his 9.30pm nightshift.

But within half an hour the pains got worse so she had a bath to relax.

Claire from Thrybergh, Rotherham, said: "When I started getting the pains I didnt think for a minute that I was pregnant.

"We have just bought a new bungalow and taken out a mortgage and we decided to wait a while before trying for a baby.

"I had three monthly contraceptive injections and knew I would put on a little weight round my middle.

It was the biggest shock of my life as I lay in the bath and suddenly realised I was in labour. I automatically started pushing when the contractions started, then Aarons head appeared. I couldnt believe my eyes.

"He was born within a few minutes. It was a straight-forward birth but the cord was round his neck, once I unwrapped it he was okay."

Claire, who has two other children, Kieran, four, and Jack, 20-months from a previous relationship, managed to climb out of the bath, reach her mobile phone and she was taken by ambulance to Rotherham District General Hospital.

She added: "The staff in A&E were gobsmacked. They rang Pete but just told him 'your wife is here.'

"He was in shock when I showed him our son. He had left me earlier that night with the two boys, with no chance of me getting pregnant and there I was with a newborn baby."

Pete said: "I could not think what she was doing holding a baby. When I asked and she said 'Its yours', I couldnt speak.

"She had been asleep in bed when I went to work - then suddenly Im a dad. Its incredible. Its not the way we planned things but to be honest Im chuffed to bits.

"Aaron is a beautiful boy and I am a very lucky man. We have three smashing sons but now I think we will call it a day."

Claire who is now planning to be sterilised added: "Ive had enough surprises for one lifetime