Dads become first same-sex couple to have baby via surrogacy without leaving Northern Ireland

UTV News meets Patrick and Jon Coyle and Baby Wren.

A same-sex couple from Londonderry has been describing the joy of becoming the first to have a baby through surrogacy without having to leave Northern Ireland.

Baby Wren Coyle was conceived through IVF, and carried by the sister of one of her dads.

Patrick and Jon Coyle's family dream has come true, made possible by Patrick's sister.

Wren, who is seven months old, was conceived at a Belfast clinic through IVF using a local egg donor.

Patrick told UTV News: "We often think about ourselves growing up as young gay men and what we anticipated our life might be like and never did we imagine we could have got married, never mind have a family and have baby Wren here with us."

Patrick and Jon have started a legal process to have both their names on Wren's birth certificate, in what could become another first in Northern Ireland.

Patrick said: "Love has no gender and us as two fathers, we're parents no matter regardless what anybody might say.

"Love is what a child needs to flourish and Wren has it by the bagful."

Jon added: "She has us two wrapped around her wee finger!"