Ella, the baby born in an elevator - and named after it

She was delivered in a lift when mum and paramedics became stuck inside it

The medical crew with mother Melissa Cavanagh, father Paul Yeomans and baby Ella (West Midlands Ambulance Service/PA Wire)

A baby girl safely delivered in a broken-down lift has been named Ella - after the elevator she was born in.

Rowley Regis resident Melissa Cavanagh called paramedics to her home after she started having contractions on Friday afternoon, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

Her flat is situated on the ninth floor of a block of flats and a heavily pregnant Ms Cavanagh would use the lift to reach her property.

After being stuck in the left for 20 minutes in cramped, hot conditions, the mother-to-be's contractions became increasingly frequent and it became obvious the baby was not going to wait for a rescue.

On arrival, the three paramedics ruled out attempting to get flights of stairs to get the expectant mother to hospital, so Ms Cavanagh, 23, boyfriend Paul Yeomans, 25, and the medics all got into the lift, only for it to grind to a halt.

Nikki Wildman, one of the paramedics, said: "During the delivery we could hear the fire service desperately trying to get to us and, after about 45 minutes of being trapped, the firefighters managed to prise open the doors and we were able to take Melissa, Paul and their new bouncing baby girl to hospital."

Emergency care assistant Nigel Goodman, who was part of the ambulance crew trapped in the lift, said: "When it was all over, I remember saying to Melissa and Paul that they should call her Ella, short for elevator - and they have!"

Ella was born weighing 6lb 1oz and, in tribute to the paramedics, her parents have decided to give her the middle name Nicola, after Ms Wildman.

Ms Cavanagh said that the couple "panicked" when the lift suddenly came to a halt. "Neither of us like lifts at the best of times.

"The ambulance staff were really great - they kept me calm and helped me through it. We couldn't have done it without them."

Ms Wildman was modest about the unusual rescue: "It was a team effort."