A father managed to deliver his baby son after watching DIY baby delivery video clips on YouTube.

Feeling nervous about the imminent birth of his child Marc Stephens had a look at childbirth videos on his home computer.

Four hours later his wife, Jo, went into labour three weeks earlier than expected and, as paramedics rushed to help, Stephens was able to put his new-found knowledge into action and helped deliver 5lb 5oz Gabriele.

Stephens, 28, a naval engineer, told yesterday how he had already learned how to play the guitar and solve the Rubik's Cube puzzle from YouTube videos. So it didn't seem too much of a leap for him to check out the whys and wherefores of childbirth.

He said: "I spent about half a hour on Google and watched a couple of videos on YouTube. One was a cheesy American video called: "This is how you give birth."

After he finished looking at the sites at about 10.30pm the couple went to bed, only to wake up at 2am with Jo, 28, in labour. The couple had wanted to have the birth at home but were told there were no midwives available.

Stephens said: "At this time Jo rushed out of the bathroom and dropped down on all fours. As soon as she dropped down I looked down and its head was sticking out. I was still on the phone to the midwife. To be honest I didn't have time to panic."

The baby was delivered safely and both mother and child are doing well. Jo, who has three other children, said: "I was quite relaxed. I have to say, out of all my four labours, that was the one I enjoyed the most. Marc is one of those people who can put his hand to anything."

After successfully delivering Gabriele the paramedics arrived and congratulated Marc on a good job, before the family travelled from their home in Redruth, Cornwall, to the Royal Cornwall hospital at Treliske, for the new mum and baby to be checked.