A YOKER mum has tracked down the parademics who saved her baby’s life after he was born weighing less than a bag of sugar during the first Covid lockdown.

First-time mum Gemma Maxwell, 29 had been feeling unwell last March when her waters broke at only 26 weeks.

Her mum and fiancé Niall delivered baby Finlay Iain Mackenzie whilst on the phone to the ambulance operator.

The phone call lasted 12 minutes, with Finlay born 30 seconds before paramedics arrived.

Gemma told the Post: “The paramedics were amazing. They didn’t know how far along I was, or even that it was a birth - they just thought it was complications with a pregnancy.

"It is such a scary and overwhelming experience for any first-time mother to go through.”

Little Finlay was rushed to hospital, with paramedic Harry Trodden performing CPR on the newborn for eight minutes after his heart stopped.

Now a year on, Gemma, Niall and Finlay have been able to track down Harry and his colleagues Nikki Wilson and Sheila Parr, who saved the tot’s life, to thank them.

After finally meeting the trio in person she said that the meeting was so emotional, she couldn’t stop crying.

She said: “Finlay was in hospital for 11 weeks when he came home, and was on oxygen, so we’ve been shielding since then and didn’t know how to get back in touch with the people who saved him.

“We were able to finally track them down through the help of a friend.

“I was absolutely delighted that I cried instantly. It was surreal. For 15 months I have asked myself ‘what do we say to the people that saved our baby’s life?’.

“They gave Finlay beautiful gifts – a toy ambulance, superhero teddy, and Sheila even gave Finlay her helmet. It was so kind of them and I cannot thank them enough.

“I think they needed it too, as they said they often don’t get to hear the other side after finishing a job – and with someone born at 26 weeks it’s not always the best outcome.”

Dad Niall said: “I was on a different planet, I didn’t know what was going on. It was just amazing how calm and normal the paramedics made it out to be.

“We were quite positive throughout the whole thing, we always said we had this feeling that everything was going to be okay.

“If it wasn’t for the crew, he wouldn’t have made it. They are all amazing.”

Now that she’s back at work and Finlay is a healthy, happy little baby, Gemma has said she’d like to help other mothers who find themselves in similar positions to herself.

“One thing that we’ve felt was that for a time myself and Niall felt like we were the only people in the world going through this and we had nobody to speak to.

“It’s really important to talk about it. But it’s also so good to remember that you aren’t alone.

“I feel it is important to give Harry, Nikki and Sheila the recognition they deserve. They are our heroes!”