PROUD mum Denise Kelly cradles her new baby son... and hopes he will silence the whisperers who accused her and her partner of having a 'designer baby' when their only daughter was born.

Michael Joseph Howarth was born on January 20, weighing a healthy 7lb 7oz.

He is a third child for Denise and Mick Howarth, of Stoneclough.

Their first child, Nathan, now aged seven, suffers from the rare blood disorder, Falconi's Anaemia, and doctors told his parents he would only have a year to live without a stem cell transplant.

Their second child, Hannah, born 14 months ago, was a genetic match for her brother.

This meant cells from Hannah's umbilical cord could be transplanted into Nathan in a bid to save his life - and the operation successfully took place a year ago.

The procedure left the family being accused by some of having a 'designer baby' just to save Nathan's life.

But Denise insists she and her partner always dreamed of having three children.

The fact Hannah was a match for Nathan was purely coincidence.

She said: "People can think what they like. We wanted more children ourselves and not to save Nathan. The fact that Hannah was a match for Nathan was just a bonus."

Nathan received the cell transplant from his baby sister last February, and had to be kept in isolation, away from his friends, until September.

The Howarth's are currently awaiting the results of tests carried out on Nathan to make sure the stem cells are not being rejected.

But it is now hoped he could have a least another 10 years, in which time it is hoped a cure for Falconi's Anaemia will be found.

Both Nathan and Hannah have welcomed their little brother into the family's home.

Miss Kelly said: "Nathan has been really good with him, he wants to hold him all the time and thinks he's really cute.

"Hannah keeps kissing his head, so he's really well loved by them."