A PREGNANT mother has thanked the helicopter crew which battled its way through 60mph winds to rush her to hospital after fears she had gone into labour prematurely.

On Tuesday evening, 2 January, in the midst of Storm Eleanor, the Aberdyfi Coastguard Rescue Team was paged to create a helicopter landing site, in order to transfer Katie Edwards from Tywyn to the specialist neonatal unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan.

Whilst Storm Eleanor began to hit the coastline, with gusts of up to 60mph, hammering rain and massive waves, Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 936 made its way down from its base in Caernarfon before picking up Katie who is still three months short of a full-term pregnancy.

Fortunately the mother-of-two did not go into labour and both mum and unborn baby are fine. Katie was “truly grateful” the helicopter crew and her midwife had been there for her in her hour of need.

Read the full story in today’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News