Darcey Bussell stretches out the thumb and index finger of her right hand until they’re just an inch apart. Britain’s favourite ballerina is showing just how near she came to death in bringing new life into the world.

“I was that close,” she says, recalling the hours before and after baby Phoebe Olivia had to be delivered by emergency caesarean seven weeks prematurely. “At the time I had no idea how critical the situation was. When the doctor told me how serious the complications had been, I was totally shocked.”

Phoebe, the first child for Darcey, 32, and her husband, leading city banker Angus Forbes, 35, was hurried into the world on June 3, after Darcey developed pre-eclampsia.

“My doctor told me that had they not got the baby out in time I may not have pulled through,” reveals the Royal Ballet’s prima ballerina. “They wanted to prevent eclampsia developing, which is a serious condition where the patient suffers convulsions and can go into a coma.”

For the full dramatic story of Darcey Bussell and baby Phoebe, see this week’s HELLO! magazine, on sale now.