DIANE Blood, the woman who is battling to have her dead husband's baby by using his frozen sperm, has been dealt a new blow.

Mrs Blood has already had her pleas turned down by the High Court and now the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has banned her from taking his sperm abroad for artificial insemination.

Mrs Blood, from Worksop, was not even told of the hearing until the last minute and was not allowed to give evidence on her own behalf.

It also seems that the media found out the result of the judgement before she did.

What a shoddy way to treat a woman who is still coming to terms with the death of her husband. No wonder she has accused the authorities of causing her "mental torture".

The crux of the argument is that Mrs Blood cannot be given the sperm because her husband, who was in a coma from meningitis, did not give his written consent before he died. But in this case the law is an ass. It means that Mrs Blood could have a baby by an anonymous donor but not by her loving husband.

Mrs Blood has been given leave to appeal against the High Court decision but the action has already cost her £50,000, forcing her to re-mortgage her house.

If she loses again, she says she intends to appeal to the House of Lords and then all the way to the European Court.

The only chink of light in this whole sorry affair is an attempt by Labour peer Lord Winston to introduce an amendment to the law requiring written consent.

However, Parliamentary procedure being what it is, this amendment may not become law before the next election unless the Government gives its support.

Perhaps now is the time for the Government to reflect the mood of the nation for once.

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