A mum forced to give birth in the back of her car after her nearest hospital maternity unit was downgraded has warned her experience will not be the last.

Kirsty Peyton-Lander and her son Archie are now recovering at home following their traumatic ordeal.

The dramatic birth happened just three days after Eastbourne District General Hospital’s maternity unit was changed from a consultant-led to a midwife-led one.

Women who experience complications or are at a high risk now have to go to the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards.

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said the temporary change was necessary for safety reasons as it had struggled to recruit enough staff to run two consultant-led units.

However, Mrs Peyton-Lander, 31, from Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, said: “Just how exactly can the experience I went through be described as safe? Even when we were finally at the Conquest I heard one member of staff say that I was going to be the first of many.

“I was lucky as things turned out okay for me in the end. But who knows what is going to happen the next time this happens? We could end up with a tragedy.”

Mrs Peyton-Landon started having contractions early Friday morning and she and her husband Leigh Lander began the drive to the Conquest at around 7am.

They were booked in at the hospital because Mrs Peyton-Lander had experienced complications during her pregnancy.

It would normally take the couple between 10 and 15 minutes to travel to Eastbourne District General Hospital but because of the changes they had to go to Hastings.

The journey was delayed by roadworks but Mr Lander was eventually able to flag down a passing ambulance on the outskirts of Hastings and paramedics helped deliver Archie at 7.44am in the back of the car.

Liz Walke from the Save the DGH campaign said: “It is a miracle we are not looking at something much more tragic.”

A trust spokesman said: “Over the last three years in East Sussex, an average of three mothers per month delivered their baby without support from a midwife because their labour was too quick, the majority of these happened at home but some do occur whilst travelling to the planned place of birth.

“In the vast majority of these quick labours, the baby is healthy and suffers no ill effects from its speedy arrival.

“The changes to maternity services have been made purely on the grounds of safety and we firmly believe that they will ensure we can provide a safer and higher quality service to mothers and babies across East Sussex.”