AN EAST Lancashire MP has promised to raise the case of a mum-of-five at the centre of a surrogacy row over an unwanted unborn baby with a Government Minister.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson said the case of Claire Collier, 29, of Cooper Street, Bacup, raised serious questions about the whole issue of surrogacy.

A newspaper report claimed Claire was carrying a test tube baby for another couple who had later changed their minds and now did not want the child which is due in December. Claire and her partner Tony Bradley could not keep the baby either.

"I'm horrified that this should have happened," said Mrs Anderson, who said she would write to the appropriate Minister to highlight the case.

"It is totally irresponsible of this couple who were very willing to use my constituents. I think it's outrageous. They should stand by the contract. "I think the whole issue of surrogacy should be looked at again by the Government and I will be raising the matter with the Minister involved."

Yesterday Claire refused to comment on the matter. She opened a window of her terraced house and said: "No" when asked if she wanted to say anything before slamming it again and drawing the curtains. Two child's bicycles were propped up in the front garden of the house.

The report said the baby's biological parents drove from their home in Hertfordshire to visit Claire before she was impregnated with the woman's fertilised eggs in March.

They later walked out on the deal after apparently changing their minds about the baby.

The two couples met through the agency COTS which is run by Kim Cotton, Britain's first surrogate mum. It was reported Claire picked the couple from a brochure listing people desperate for a baby and was told the woman could not give birth because of health reasons.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.