A GRAPPENHALL couple have been toasting a year they will never forget after welcoming to the world their very own Christmas miracle.

Karen and Philip Hughes received the best gift they could have asked for in October in the form of tiny tot Ted.

After five years of wishing, the couple’s dreams came true against the odds thanks to IVF treatment through the Knutsford branch of The Hewitt Fertility Centre.

Mum Karen said: “There are no words that can describe my joy at having Ted in my life.

“Thanks to the staff, I’ve been given the best Christmas present anyone could ask for.”

Karen, who said she had always wanted to be a mother, started trying for a baby after she got married to Phillip in 2008.

After an unsuccessful six months, Karen visited her GP for some routine tests and received terrible news for any prospective mother.

She added: “The GP told me that I had a large ovarian cyst and would have to have an operation to have it removed.

“I went for the operation but was devastatingly left with a blocked right fallopian tube after surgery.

“This, paired with the fact that Philip suffered additional complications due to a hernia operation he had undergone a few years earlier, meant that our chances of conceiving naturally were slim.

“Our worst fears were confirmed at The Hewitt Fertility Centre, part of Liverpool Women’s, when we were told it would take a small miracle to conceive naturally but we were determined and visited Mr Rafet Gazvani to begin our IVF treatment.”

After three failed cycles the couple’s hopes were rapidly fading until they were told about some IVF research Mr Gazvani was carrying out into drip feeding an egg and soya solution to a woman during treatment.

There was no extensive proven results but the couple jumped at the chance.

Karen added: “It was emotionally and financially exhausting after so many failed cycles but we never lost hope.

“I was put on steroids and drip fed this Intralipid solution but I’d come this far and was prepared to do anything for the family I’d always dreamed of.

“It’s so hard to pull yourself through countless failed cycles but Mr Gazvani kept so calm and confident in our treatment that so did we. “Christmas definitely came early for us with the best gift we could ask for – a miracle baby.”