A FATHER was delighted this week after he delivered his newborn baby in a village street. Ashley Dobbs had to perform midwifery duties when his partner Ilona Spohn started to give birth shortly before 4am. Ilona was waiting for Ashley to fetch the car to take her to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, when she went into the final stages of labour near a newsagents in Little Green, Polperro. Ashley – who was also with his son Oliver, age nine, and daughter Chloe, six – had to improvise and use his mobile phone as a light while he spoke to an emergency services operator who talked him through the procedure. 'I was very calm in the situation,' said Ashley. 'There was not much option – it all happened very quickly.' Help After the baby was born Ashley shouted to the owners of Polperro News, Brenda and Barry Thomas, for help. They brought down blankets for the baby while they waited for the emergency services. 'It was quite a shock,' said Brenda. 'It is not something that normally happens in Polperro a baby being born in the street.' Baby Leonardo was checked by medical staff who arrived on scene 20 minutes after his birth.