Garda brings ‘new recruit’ into world after tense night

A ROUTINE patrol through a rural village became a matter of life and death when gardaí found themselves helping a distressed mum give birth to her baby girl.

There was a tense moment of silence on the hall floor of Damien and Niamh Longworth’s home in Daingean, Offaly as baby Mia came into the world in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

But then the infant gave cry — prompted a sigh of relief as well as tears for Garda Nicola Gleeson, who helped deliver the 7lb 9oz bundle of joy.