A PROUD mum will baptise her baby on Sunday - almost a decade after doctors told her she had "more chance of winning the lottery" than giving birth.

Tanya Melling, 35, of Dryden Grove, Great Harwood, was devastated when she heard in 1992 that only one of her fallopian tubes was working; the other was partially blocked.

But when baby Johnny was born in March, weighing 7lb 4oz after an uneventful labour, Tanya and husband John, 33, were delighted to prove the experts wrong.

Surgeons at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, operated on her in 1992 in an unsuccessful attempt to remedy the problem.

Tanya had a child in a previous relationship 17 years ago but since the birth of Stephen, she had tried to provide him with a little brother or sister.

She said: "While I was on holiday in Greece last year, I thought something was going on, and when I tried out a pregnancy test, it was positive."

She was so sceptical about the results, she tried the test again and when that also proved positive, she cried out in disbelief.

"As soon as I got back to England, I went to Queen's Park for a scan which confirmed I was three weeks pregnant. It was a miracle and everyone was gobsmacked," she said.

"But my doctors wanted to keep an eye on me, so I visited the hospital every month for a scan. The nurses and doctors were lovely." She added: "I can't see myself having any more children at my age. And as far as Johnny's future is concerned, I don't care what he does, as long as he is happy."

Tanya had been visiting her GP, Christopher Ward, at Clayton Medical Centre, Clayton-le-Moors. Practice manager Michelle Armstrong said: "I am very happy for Tanya and her family and a child is a wonderful gift for her after all she went through.

"In my 15 years at the centre, I can only remember one other couple who waited for so long to have a baby."

And Queen's Park Hospital delivery suite manager Angela Pedder explained how fallopian tubes can be blocked by pelvic inflamation, surgery or other congenital problems. She said: "Despite advances in modern techniques, about 15 per cent of all women have damaged tubes.

"But after all that waiting, it was a fair analogy to say Tanya had more chances of winning the lottery and we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to the family."