Mother gives birth to healthy baby hours after being run over by her own car

Lucy Brake, 27, who was eight-and-a-half-months pregnant, was waiting in the car when the lorry careered into its side and began to drag it down the road.

Fearing for her life, and that of her unborn child, she tried to leap from the moving vehicle but was caught by the open door and pushed under its wheels.

Despite it going over her legs and pelvis, Mrs Brake escaped with a few bruises and gave birth to daughter Amelia by emergency caesarean later the same day.

The goods lorry had been trying to turn left into a side-street in Henley-on-Thames when it struck her Volkswagen Golf as she waited for her husband to finish the shopping.

It dragged the car some 20 metres down the street before Mrs Brake, from Henley, had a chance to act.

As it picked up speed and the car started to buckle, she decided the only thing for it was to jump and hope she and her baby survived.

She said "It all happened so quickly. After the collision I realised the car was being dragged by the lorry, and then I heard it buckling and breaking.

"I had to make a decision. I thought the lorry might pick up speed and I decided to get out."

Following the accident, witnesses, including a doctor, raced to her aid and two ambulances attended the scene.

Police cordoned off the road, which remained closed for several hours.

The new mother said that during the whole terrifying episode, the only thought she had was for the safety of her unborn child.

"I remember being terrified about my baby. I was screaming in the street, making sure people knew I was pregnant," she said.

She was rushed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading where they successful delivered the healthy 7lb 2oz baby.

A spokesperson for One Stop, owners of the lorry involved in the collision, said they would hold an investigation into the crash.