EastEnders star Sid Owen has revealed how he feared for his fiancee Victoria Shores' life during her traumatic birth to their daughter.

Sid, 50, announced he had become a dad earlier this week as he welcomed his first child, Skye.

But, Victoria's labour was far from straightforward as she lost pints of blood and needed a transfusion as their daughter Skye was delivered via emergency C-section four weeks early.

Ricky Butcher actor Sid told The Sun on Sunday: "I did say to doctors at one point, 'All that matters is Vic, make sure she’s OK and survives.' I was imagining horror stories.

"I couldn’t cope with losing Vic, I was more concerned about her. I’m still trying to process the trauma of it.

"It was the toughest moment I have ever experienced."

Sid recalled how the traumatic birth began on Friday 21 January as the couple awoke to discover their bed sheets were soaked in blood.

"We were both trying to stay calm for each other," Sid said. "But as it was a month before our due date and we knew something wasn’t right. I phoned the NHS helpline and they sent an ambulance immediately."

Meanwhile, Victoria added: "The paramedics told Sid to drive on ahead so they could put on the emergency blue light and he could get to the hospital without panicking.

"I was more of a risk because I had miscarried before and I hadn’t gone through labour for over 12 years."

They were then taken to hospital in Epsom, Surrey and met by nine members of staff in the delivery suite.

Victoria was diagnosed with placenta previa, when a placenta covers the cervix and prevents a natural birth.

New dad Sid said: "It’s very dangerous and means that the placenta could erupt at any time and the baby would be dead in seconds.

"Inside, I was panicking and thinking, ‘This baby has to come out,’ There seemed to be a lot of risks involved."

Victoria added: "I was really upset. It was scary to think that if it had ruptured Skye would only have seconds to live. But at the same time they didn’t want to take her out too soon in case she couldn’t breathe on her own.

"Thank goodness we went into hospital though.

"If I’d have stayed at home I’d have haemorrhaged and probably died because there wouldn’t have been time for a transfusion and the baby wouldn’t have survived.

"I had desperately wanted to have a natural birth so it was a bit of a shock to come to terms with the idea of an operation. I’d never had one on anything before.

"Momentarily, I was scared about having my stomach cut, but all that went out the window when the doctors spoke about the urgency to get her out."

Sid and Victoria had to wait 24 hours while Victoria was monitored by doctors and nurses every hour.

Then, on Sunday morning doctors decided to perform the emergency caesarian.

"I was relieved we were finally getting the baby out but worried about Victoria. We were told she could haemorrhage, lose her womb or worse," Sid revealed.

He added: "It was all suddenly very stressful and touch and go and she had to sign a consent form.

"When the doctors said there could be a chance of her losing her womb we were worried.

"We already knew we want to have more children."

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Doctors then began giving steroid injections before starting the op to encourage the baby to breath and their baby was born at 5lb 5oz.

But, shortly after the birth Victoria began to haemorrhage and she was given two litres of blood.

She recalled: "As soon as the baby was out it seemed I was in trouble. I could have died. I told Sid, ‘Whatever happens just stay with the baby, make sure you don’t let her out of your sight’."

After the ordeal, the couple are now settling into family life.

Sid said: "We couldn’t thank the NHS staff enough. They were amazing and kept everyone safe."

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