Woman gets valeting bill after giving birth in front seat of taxi

Published: 2013 September 25 02:59:32 (4635 Views)

A young mother gave birth to a baby boy in the front seat of a taxi - then received a £40 valeting bill from the driver two days later.

Jenny Larkin, 22, was forced to call for a cab in the early hours of the morning after going into labour in Redcar, North Yorkshire.

But as driver Steven Morrell pulled up outside the maternity unit Miss Larkin started giving birth and midwives had no choice but to deliver the baby in the vehicle.

The mother-of-three, who travelled to hospital with partner Tim Galloway, 29, in the back of the car later named her 7lb 15oz child Finley.

Driver Mr Morrell, who works for J&P Taxis, put plastic sheeting down in the front of the vehicle but the seat was damaged anyway.

He said that he lost two days' takings while the vehicle was off the road.

Miss Larkin said: 'Tim told them it was for maternity and when he came he had some plastic sheeting on the front seat and said it was fine for me to sit there.

'We got on the A174 and I said the baby was coming. By the time we were pulling up at the hospital, the baby was already coming out.

'Five midwives rushed out to see what the situation was and there my baby boy was, hanging down and in a bit of shock. I had to deliver him there. That's when he said to my partner "I want the cleaning bill".'

Miss Larkin was admitted to James Cook University Hospital's maternity unit in Middlesbrough after giving birth in the early hours of last Friday morning.

Both mother and baby were discharged later the same day after being checked over.

The following Monday the driver turned up at their home and presented them with a cleaning bill for £40.

Jenny, who also has two girls Elise, five, and Ruby, two, said: 'I was absolutely mortified. He knew he was going to maternity before he even set off and had put plastic sheets on the front seat.

'We are on benefits and £40 is a lot of money. We had paid £16 already for the fare.

'Tim said to him, "how do you expect us to pay that sort of money?" and he said "pay us when you've got it".'

The taxi driver, who is responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of his own cab as part of his self-employed contract with J&P Taxis, said such events are 'one of the hazards of the job'.

He added: 'Unfortunately someone's got to pay for it. I don't think I'm being nasty asking for the valeting cost back.

'I couldn't work on Friday or Saturday because the interior was still wet so I lost two days' takings.'

Craig Walker, who owns J&P Taxis, has asked Jenny to get in contact with him about what happened.

He added: 'Steven has obviously had to take the car off the road after that. He's had to pay to get it cleaned and he's lost takings.'

He added the driver had the right to pass on his bill to the family in accordance with a council bylaw.

- DM

Tags: birth, newborn, valeting,

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