A woman gave birth in Edmonton Green Library this morning with the assistance of paramedics and some surprised council staff.

The woman was ushered into the reception of the building at 8.20am after two council employees found her in obvious distress and with her four children.

Library staff realised she was in the late stages of labour and called paramedics who delivered the baby in the children’s section at 9am.

Dawn Jacob, an Enfield Homes customer services manager who assisted the woman, said: “It was a bit of a surprise to us all when we realised the women’s waters had broken.

“We called for an ambulance and the paramedics arrived very quickly but it soon became clear that there was no time to get her to hospital because the birth was imminent.

“We screened off part of the children’s library which is closed to the public so she had some privacy and the baby was born before 9am.

“Everyone rallied round and worked really hard to help the mum and the paramedics, so we’re all over the moon at the new arrival, we hope she grows up to be a real book lover.”

Library staff assisted paramedics as they worked to safely deliver the baby, who is understood to be doing well.

Emine Mustapha, who works at the library, said: “I took the siblings to a play area in the children’s library and showed them the toys and books to distract them while their sister was being born.

“It could have been very frightening for them to see their mother in pain so we did everything we could to distract them and keep them occupied.

“It was certainly an unusual way to start the week, I’ve never heard of a baby being born in a library before and it was lovely the baby was born in the children's section.”