A COUPLE desperate for a child helped blow a baby-selling racket wide open after posing as would-be adoptive parents.

Pat and Stephen Hampson exposed the cruel trade in human lives after being dragged in to the international scheme, which involved lawyers and social workers.

The Darwen pair worked with under-cover researchers who gathered evidence of the trade which will be revealed to millions of TV viewers on Central Television's Cook Report tonight.

Pat, 32, lost her job as a secretary and Stephen, 38, has had to delay his post graduate studies as the couple devoted eight months to exposing the people responsible for selling babies. Pat said: "It has taken me a long time to come to terms with the fact that this happens and that we were put in touch locally with someone who would actually sell us a child." Stephen added: "We would do this again if it would stop just one parent in this world losing their child to such an adoption ring.

"If you have money you can now buy anything - even a child!"

The investigation began when Pat, who is on a priority waiting list for IVF treatment, visited a private clinic to help her to lose weight.

A doctor asked Pat if she had ever thought about adopting a child from abroad. The couple were suspicious from the start and contacted a family friend who works on the Cook Report.

Weeks later, after an assessment by Islington-based social worker Jim Wroe, who was suspended from his work yesterday, Pat and Stephen set off for Atlanta, Georgia, to meet with the adoption agent, Dutch-born Lya Sorana.

Two weeks ago the couple flew to Guatemala to meet Jonathan, the baby boy they were offered for sale by lawyer Juan Varela.

The couple had been asked to fill in a form stipulating the sex, age, skin and even eye colour they required in a child.

They have been left devastated by their dealings with the racket but want to adopt Jonathan legally if his mother can not be found. Pat said: "He was a beautiful boy and we bonded with him in the two days."

Stephen said: "We would love to have Jonathan, but there is more chance of us winning the lottery."

The search for Jonathan's real mother has, so far, not been so fruitful and the couple fear he was kidnapped.

Files prepared by the TV team will be presented to the authorities in England, America and Guatemala tomorrow.

The couple have not received any payment for their part in the investigation.

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