A new mother has thanked a lorry driver who carried her car over a flooded causeway while she was in labour.
Kelly Brinkman was in labour and waiting for 3ft 6ins deep (1.2m) sea water to recede on The Strood Causeway from Mersea Island, Essex.
Justin Tacey, 45, offered to put her car on his lorry and drive across.
Mr Tacey inched through the rising tide to get her on the road to hospital, where her breached baby girl was delivered by Caesarean section.
Ms Brinkman and partner Paolo Pereira had driven to different places to get off the island last Thursday but were prevented by the high tide.
‘Looking panicky’
Ms Brinkman said: "I am just so grateful to Justin. He probably saved the baby’s life because she was in a breech position and well on her way. The only way to save her was a Caesarean section.
“We have named her Lillie and she is now fine but always hungry and joins her sister Olivia.”
Mr Tacey, who works for Emmitt Plant at Diss in Norfolk, said: "I had been on Mersea delivering to a holiday camp and was waiting for the coastguards to let us cross.
"I noticed a man looking panicky on the phone and we got chatting. He said his partner was in labour and he was worried as it looked like a long wait for the tide to go down.
"I spoke to the coastguard team and said the couple’s Ford Kuga could go on the back of the lorry and I would carry them across.
“It took about five minutes to cross the half mile causeway slowly and carefully.”
West Mersea Coastguard also paid tribute to Mr Tacey, calling him a “true gentleman”.
Top man, we always need some good press.
Glad baby is doing well. Hang on ‘Ms Brinkman’, childbirth out of wedlock, my great great grandfather would fall off his penny-farthing reading that, and ‘Paolo’ wtf… 
Seriously though well done that driver for breaking the waters and helping the little un arrive safely.
Dipper_Dave:
Top man, we always need some good press.
+1
‘It was like a God send’ – heroic lorry driver rescues woman in labour stranded on Mersea Island
Dipper_Dave:
Top man, we always need some good press.
Glad baby is doing well. Hang on ‘Ms Brinkman’, childbirth out of wedlock, my great great grandfather would fall off his penny-farthing reading that, and ‘Paolo’ wtf…Seriously though well done that driver for breaking the waters and helping the little un arrive safely.
+1
Nothing more to add, 
The vicar wouldnt part the water…but he did turn it into wine…so a good result. well done that driver…
Some good news about a lorry driver…At last!!!
Well done that man.
Why can’t Mersea just have a bridge already? Total pita to deliver to.
Chy:
Why can’t Mersea just have a bridge already? Total pita to deliver to.
Because you would only need it for just a few hours each day on the big spring tides …
Heart warming.