A woman has given birth on board a lifeboat as she was rushed from her island home to the mainland.

The baby boy was born at about 5am on the Oban RNLI lifeboat while it was taking the woman and her partner to hospital from their home on Mull.

The baby arrived before the boat reached land and was delivered with the help of a midwife and Dr Colin Wilson from Oban Lifeboat.

It is the fourth time in the last 12 years that a baby has had to be delivered on the boat.

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RESOURCES

Interview with David Matheson from Oban Lifeboat

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David Isaac, deputy second coxswain of Oban lifeboat, said: "It was quite a night. When we left Mull we had nine on board and ended up with ten.

"We updated the Coastguard as we crossed the bay that we were plus one.

"This is the second time I have been on board with a baby being born but it's still quite unusual.

"Thankfully passage from Mull was calm for the expectant mother who was with her partner and midwife.

"On behalf of all the RNLI Oban volunteer lifeboat crew I'd like to congratulate the family on their new addition and send our best wishes."

The mother, father and baby were later transferred by ambulance to Lorn and The Isles District General Hospital in Oban. The woman, who asked not to be named, later spoke of her delight in her "beautiful" new son.

In a statement she said: "I would like to thank all the local health staff for their help for me and my new son.

"The midwife on Mull was brilliant and full of advice and support and all the staff at the maternity unit in Oban have been great and made us feel very welcome. Our new baby boy is absolutely beautiful and all the family are really happy."

A spokesman for NHS Highland said the mother and her child were "doing really well", adding that they were "delighted" for the family.