A SIMPLE “meet and greet” the neighbours turned into high drama for a Bury teacher.

Pregnant Catherine Price and husband Andrew popped round to meet their new neighbours, Mick and Honor King, over a coffee, having recently moved into their new home in Bromley Cross, Bolton.

Even though 36-year-old Catherine, who teaches at Sunnybank Primary School, felt a few twinges, she did not expect that minutes later, newly-acquainted Honor would be delivering her baby.

“It was a bit of a shock,” said Catherine. “I’d had a bit of backache during the day, and a couple of pains when we were next door, but I thought nothing of it really.

“We’d just stepped back through the door of our house when my waters broke — I had a sudden realisation that we weren’t going to get to the hospital.”

Husband Andrew, aged 41, rushed next door with the couple’s three year-old daughter Emily to get help, and Honor came to the rescue.

“In no time at all the baby was in my lap,” said Honor. “I wrapped her up in a towel and gave her a cuddle — she started crying straight away, which was a relief.”

The labour lasted 10 minutes before baby Molly was born, weighing six pounds and eight ounces.

“The baby was crying while I was still on the phone to the ambulance operator,” said Andrew.

“Catherine’s mum and dad arrived and said we’d best go to hospital — we said there was no need as the baby was already here! Two minutes later the ambulance arrived.”

Despite having only met properly for the first time, the two couples are already firm friends. “We thought, what a way to meet someone!” said Andrew.

“Honor’s husband brought a bottle of champagne round for us straight after. They’ll definitely be the first to receive invitations to the christening.”

“I can’t ever thank them enough,” said Catherine. “It was brilliant, Honor was so calm. Emily is over the moon about being a big sister — she’s so proud.”

Honor, who works as a security officer at Bolton Town Hall, added: “I’m a little bit shaken, but I’m just glad that everything went OK.

“I think I coped quite well — it was very thrilling really, a nice moment.”

Catherine’s mother, Barbara Taylor, said: “It’s wonderful. I couldn’t believe it when we walked in and Andrew said she’d had the baby. I wasn’t sure if he was having us on or not!”