A baby delivered during a screening of Harry Potter has Cineworld listed on her birth certificate after arriving midway through the film.
Molly Connah, 32, was one day overdue when she visited the Cineworld in Broughton, Flintshire, with her parents and her nine-year-old son, Alfie, to watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
But about 40 to 45 minutes into the Harry Potter screening, Ms Connah began experiencing labour pains.
Cineworld manager Michelle McClean and team leader Leah Prytherch were among the staff who stepped in to help. Employees called 999 and collected towels and sheets to give Ms Connah privacy from cinema-goers passing through the venue.
Recalling the dramatic birth, Ms Connah said: ‘I said to my mum, “I feel like I need to push,” and she said, “You can’t”.’
‘I said, “I can’t, I need to. I’ve got to.” Two pushes and my daughter was out.’
She gave birth to Elsie Lamb at 4.57pm.
With no medical professionals present when Elsie was born, Ms Connah’s mother lifted her newborn granddaughter and placed her on her mother’s chest.
A rapid response paramedic arrived just moments later.
Molly Connah, 32, gave birth to Elsie Lamb during a Harry Potter screening at Cineworld in Broughton, Flintshire.
Elsie has ‘Cineworld’ recorded on her birth certificate after she was born at the cinema
Pictured: The Cineworld in Broughton, Flintshire, where Elsie was born
Ms Connah said: ‘She came running in and said, “Is everything all right?”
‘My mum said, “She’s had the baby,” and she went, “What?” and came running in.’
The paramedic checked both Ms Connah and Elsie before two ambulances were sent to Cineworld.
She called her partner, Scott, who had been asleep ahead of a night shift, and asked him to come and collect her.
He arrived seconds after his daughter had been born, having tried to call Ms Connah three times while she was giving birth.
Ms Connah said the whole family were in ‘complete utter shock’ at the 7lb surprise on her trip.
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‘You don’t expect it in a million years,’ Ms Connah said.
Ms Connah said that when she went to register the newborn, she was asked where the baby was born.
She said: ‘When we went to register her, they had to ask where she was born.
‘We had to say Cineworld in Broughton, and it does say on her birth certificate, Cineworld Broughton.’
Ms Connah said: ‘The staff at Cineworld and Starbucks were absolutely amazing.
‘They shielded me with towels and sheets so no one could see. They were absolutely amazing.’
She had attended a midwife appointment for a sweep at around 1.20pm that afternoon, before heading to the cinema with her parents and son Alfie.
She said: ‘I can remember the scene I was watching when I walked out. It was when Hagrid and Harry are buying his stuff to go to Hogwarts.
‘I thought something doesn’t feel right. It was getting more and more intense and I didn’t want anything to go wrong.
‘At that point I think my body just went into shock and it was pure adrenaline.’
After leaving the cinema, Ms Connah was taken to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, where she needed treatment following the unusually quick birth and was taken to theatre for stitches.
She said both she and Elsie are now doing well, with the newborn described as a ‘really contented baby’.
Ms Connah said Alfie has also embraced becoming a big brother.
She said: ‘He’s been amazing. He absolutely loves it, helping with the nappy changes, holding her, walking her and feeding her.’
The family have since returned to Cineworld to thank the staff who helped them, taking chocolates, gifts and a card.
They were also given four cinema passes after missing the end of the Harry Potter film and hope to return to finish their unusual family outing.