Tornado baby: Ōtara mum feared for her life during 'crazy' ordeal

Raylene Bishop, pictured with her first child Sonny. The Ōtara mum was in labour with her second child when a shed sent flying by a tornado smashed into the ambulance she was in.

The Auckland mum who welcomed a new bonny wee boy into the world after a tornado struck the ambulance she was in says she feared for her life.

Raylene Bishop, was in labour and had just been put into an ambulance outside her Franklyne Rd home yesterday when a tornado struck the Ōtara and East Tamaki areas.

She told One News the experience "was crazy". When she first called for an ambulance the weather was reasonably calm with some spitting rain overhead.

But as she was making her way into the ambulance it started "pouring down" with rain and the wind picked up.

"Our ambulance literally lifted and slammed back down," she told One News.

The neighbour's shed was also pick up by the tornado and came crashing into the side of the ambulance, shattering the windows.

"I was shocked, scared - I did fear for my life."

The damaged ambulance was later towed away. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Ambulance staff rushed to take care of Bishop inside the home, attending to some cuts she had sustained.

A second ambulance arrived five or 10 minutes later and Bishop, accompanied by her partner Toks Ngau's mother Vaine Tapora, was taken first to Middlemore Hospital and later to a birth care unit.

About 3pm, the couple's little boy arrived safely.

Bishop told One News she had needed a caesarean section because her stressed baby boy had turned to his side during the ordeal.

"He's perfectly fine, he's healthy, he's warm, he's safe."

The couple have not decided on his name just yet but Storm was becoming something of a favourite considering the circumstances.