A LIFEBOAT volunteer went into hospital to have her baby – and was delighted to be treated by a doctor from her crew.

RNLI volunteer Emily Summerfield was "reassured" to see a familiar face when she went into labour at Brighton's Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Julian Cumberworth, who combines his RNLI role with a job as an anaesthetist, was part of the team who helped deliver her son.

Little William was born happy and healthy and has already made a trip to Brighton lifeboat station to see Julian again.

Emily said: "I have such positive memories from that day. It was a great experience for myself and my family.

"Julian was my point of contact in a room full of people, it was great to have that level of trust in someone you already knew and his calm reassurance was just what was needed.

"Julian is so calm and collected he really led the room, and kept me informed as to what was happening throughout – it’s what makes him such a great team member in the RNLI and it helped in this situation too.

"Meeting my baby for the first time and finding out he was a boy was an amazing moment, I will never forget it and I’m so grateful to Julian and the whole team at the Royal Sussex for making sure we were well looked after."

Emily, who serves as a constable with Sussex Police, has been a crew member at the lifeboat station since May 2019.

She gave birth to William on November 1. He weighed 8lb 9oz.

Emily said she has missed volunteering with the charity while having her baby and hopes to return as a crew member in the early summer.

"My dad volunteered with Eastbourne RNLI as a launch authority for more than 20 years so it was something I’d always wanted to do – and now William has a special connection with lifeboats too," she said.

Emily's husband Rob also works with Sussex Police and they have an three-year-old daughter, Maddie.

Julian has been an RNLI crew member for six years.

He said: “It was really nice to be involved in Emily and William’s story.

"It’s an honour to look back on being involved even in a small way, and it’s lovely to hear Emily’s positive memories of her special day."

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