Two gay policemen have become fathers after one of their sisters acted as a surrogate, it has been reported.
The story has kicked off a debate about gay parents with reaction ranging from comments like "this isn't news" to " it shouldn't be allowed".
Lorna Bradley, 31, gave birth to a boy last month for her brother, 28-year-old Steven Ponder, and his partner, Ivan Sigston, 48, who live in Southampton, Hampshire.
Mr Sigston, a Hampshire police dog handler, provided the sperm but legally he and Mr Ponder must now adopt the boy, who has been named William Campbell Ponder-Sigston.
The men have already been accused by some of being selfish in denying the child a mother and making him vulnerable to bullying at school.
But there are lots of terrible heterosexual parents out there and I don't see why this couple should be any better or worse than the rest of us.
No money changed hands for the baby and Mrs Bradley, who has three children of her own, was said to have helped the couple out of "sisterly love".
Newspapers have been reporting that the men are the first British gay couple to father a surrogate baby in the UK, which seems surprising if it's true.
Mr Ponder, a special constable, and Mr Sigston have so far declined to speak to the press.
However, on his Facebook web page last week, Mr Sigston wrote: "I am one happy Daddy - life is good, life is just where I want it."
It has been reported that both men were present when baby William was born and he was handed over to them just two days after his birth.
The couple will still have to jump through some legal hoops before they are officially parents. Gay couples cannot apply for a parenting order and must adopt instead.
Readers of the Sun newspaper had a range of responses. JudyR said: "These guys can give love and stability to this child and I wish them all the very best."
However Mccolmd wrote: "It is selfish but these selfish people care only about their rights and not the rights of a child to have heterosexual parents."
Source: AOL News