Fiona O'Driscoll suffers from Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome and was born without a womb. Adoption or surrogacy were her and husband Andrew's only hope.

But the O'Driscolls' lives were transformed after meeting Kate Housley and her husband Dennis.

Now Mrs Housley is 29 weeks' pregnant with the O'Driscolls' IVF baby and in October is due to give birth to the child they thought they might never have.

Mrs Housley, 32, and Mr Housley, 37, from Kensington Road, Copnor, have two children of their own – eight-year-old Nathan and Ruth, six.

They met the O'Driscolls through not-for-profit organisation Surrogacy UK and they spent about seven months getting to know and trust each other.

Five days before the O'Driscolls' wedding, Mrs Housley made their dreams come true when she offered to carry their baby.

Mrs Housley said: 'At the end of the day I enjoy being pregnant, but I don't want any more babies. I've had mine and they have brought us happiness and everything else.

'This way everybody wins. I get to be pregnant which I love, and somebody else gets a baby that they want very much. It's giving someone else the joy we already have.'

The O'Driscolls were overjoyed as there are only an estimated seven to 10 surrogates in the UK at any one time.

Mrs O'Driscoll, from Highgate, London, said: 'We were elated. It felt absolutely incredible that I was starting out married life with the same chance as any other couple of having children.'

The couples trust each other and are confident the surrogacy will continue without a hitch. However, they are calling for a change in the law to make surrogacy legally binding.

Mrs O'Driscoll added: 'The way the law is at the moment, if we die the baby is given to our nominated guardian and if Kate decides to keep the baby she can.

'If we get cold feet, Kate could be literally left holding the baby. The law doesn't protect anyone.'