Paramedics were forced to abandon their blocked ambulance to rush to a young mum who had just given birth at home.

Medics arrived minutes after the birth of Shania Pullin’s baby, Brody, having been unable to get closer to her Bransty home because of the high volume of parked cars.

Brody – weighing 6lb 8oz – was delivered by Shania’s aunt Collette Horn, helped by her grandmother Carol Walker and partner Macauley Graham.

Mrs Walker said medics rushed to their home on St George’s Terrace minutes after Brody was born.

The family called for an ambulance at around 6pm when Shania, 18, was in labour and were given instructions on how to deliver the baby, who was born at 6.27pm.

Mrs Walker then ran outside and saw the ambulance further up the street, but it was unable to park outside their home.

“One paramedic jumped out and ran down.

"The other reversed the ambulance back down the middle of the road but couldn’t park outside our house – there were cars parked either side.”

The young mum and her newborn were then taken to hospital and have now returned home.

Her grandmother said the pair are “doing well”.

Mrs Walker highlighted the problem as large volumes of workers from the town centre now park along the road and walk into town.

Neighbour Iain Winder also raised the matter at a public meeting last week.

Many feel problems with parking in the town centre and on surrounding estates has increased since Albion Square opened and brought 1,000 nuclear workers to town, the meeting heard.

A number of workers from the United Utilities call centre on the harbour are also said to be parking indiscriminately.

Mr Winder said: “People won’t use the parking that’s been provided and are dumping their cars on us. You go out and can’t get parked outside your home – and this is for 10 hours a day. Something has to be done.”

The meeting in Mirehouse, organised by Copeland mayor Mike Starkie, also heard from Steve Nicholson, a full-time rep with Prospect, who criticised Sellafield Ltd for the “unworkable” parking arrangements it put in place ahead of Albion opening in 2014.

Also problematic, said Mr Nicholson and others, are workers meeting at outlying places like Kells, Bransty and Sunny Hill, “abandoning” their separate cars on residential streets and then sharing one into town.

A spokesperson for Sellafield Ltd said: “Like everyone else, we deplore inconsiderate parking. We reimburse charges to encourage staff to use car parks and the vast majority park responsibly. A small minority appear not to be and we are working to understand why. It is clear there is a shortage of provision and a culture where people are reluctant to pay.”