SAINTS soccer star Rory Delap paid £250 for a 250-mile taxi dash to see the birth of his first child at the weekend.
Asleep in a Blackburn hotel, the Southampton midfielder was told at 4.45am on Saturday morning that girlfriend Helen Brentnall had gone into labour.
The 26-year-old, pictured above, who lives in Sarisbury Green, grabbed his bag, called a taxi, and arrived on the south coast just in time for the birth of baby boy Liam, shortly before 10am.
Midfielder Delap, Saints record signing for £4 million from Derby in July 2001, had been due to play in the Premiership away clash with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon, which the club lost 1-0.
Both Helen and Liam were fighting fit after the birth, with 22cm tall Liam weighing in at 7lb 4oz.
The birth for former Carlisle United player Delap, whose family still live in Great Corby, near Carlisle, was also a proud moment for new granny and grandad Maura and John Delap.
Maura said: "Rory was told it would be about £250 for the taxi, but he said to the driver: It will be worth a lot more than that if you can get me there quickly and safely - and I mean quickly.
"He even had to phone us up to ask directions to Southampton, for the motorway junctions and roads.
"He doesn't normally do this trip as he usually flies - he's only ever driven it once or twice. Leaving from Blackburn he was a nervous wreck, but he made it there just in time.''
Retired headteacher John, who is 60, and 57-year-old Maura, a teacher, said they were "over the moon'' when news of the birth finally arrived.
"Rory just keeps bursting into tears,'' said Maura. When his father went to phone him, they were both in tears!
"Helen telephoned her dad, a GP in Derbyshire, to break the news after coming out of labour."
Delap was due to link up with the Republic of Ireland squad today, ahead of their friendly with Scotland on Wednesday, but it is thought he will join the team later, having returned home with Helen and Liam to their home in Sarisbury Green.
