East Lancashire crash mum celebrates birth of 'miracle baby' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancashire crash mum celebrates birth of 'miracle baby'

5:43pm Wednesday 26th May 2010 in Abbey Village By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

A MUM-to-be who had a lucky escape after a drunk driver ploughed into her car at 100mph is celebrating the birth of her 'miracle' baby.

French teacher Nadine Mercière, 31, of Rishton, was four months pregnant when another car overtaking a van at twice the speed limit hit her Renault Clio head-on.

Mrs Mercière had to be cut from the wreckage but she and her unborn child survived the collision and two days later both were given the all-clear.

Now five months after the crash, Mrs Mercière has given birth to daughter Emma who weighed seven pounds.

“We're absolutely over the moon to have Emma, but it is no thanks to that drink driver,” said Nadine, who teaches at Little Lever Specialist Language College, in Bolton.

“He could have cost the lives of both myself and my baby because of his selfishness.

“Emma is our little miracle and we all the more happy because of almost having lost her.

“Emma's healthy and strong and the birth went without a hitch. She is just beautiful.

“We're going to tell her all about the miraculous circumstances of her birth when she's old enough.”

Trainee mechanic Andrew Hebson, 36, of St Mark’s Road, Blackburn, who was driving the other car despite being drunk was later jailed for 20 months.

It emerged he was defying a three-year road ban for motoring offences and had been wearing an electronic tag at the time of the crash.

The crash happened in Belmont Road, near Abbey Village, as Mrs Merciere was returning from work.

The couple, who moved to England in 2006 from France to pursue teaching careers, were moving house that day.

Mrs Mercière said: “When they checked out Emma [after the crash] on the monitor, straightaway I heard the heartbeat and they told me the baby was fine. I was so relieved.

“When I saw my car three days after the accident I couldn't believe my lucky.

"It's a miracle that I came out of the car.

“What saved my life was the airbags and I’ve been incredibly lucky.”

Nadine's husband Fabian, 30, also a languages teacher said: “I'm so proud and relieved to be a dad.