THEY were told they would never be able to have another child - it was a chance in a million. But after waiting 13 years Southampton couple Mann and Gurnam Potiwal are celebrating a minor miracle - the birth of baby Sonia.

Mann, 35, said: "We tried everything - IVF treatment, spiritual healing - but nothing happened.

"We spent £40,000 on treatments and flights all over the world, and if it wasn't for the support of friends, relatives and the staff at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton we would have given up a long time ago."

The couple, of Cranbury Avenue, got married in 1985 and within a year had welcomed their first daughter, Sukhdev, into the world.

But as the couple tried for a second child they soon encountered difficulties they had never expected.

Mann explained: "No-one could work out why we couldn't have another child. We were both physically fine.

"We tried IVF, flew to India twice for medical and spiritual healings, we even visited a fertility stone at Blackpool Pleasure Beach - it sounds crazy but we thought we should give it a go.

"We went to Professor Winston in London for IVF treatment because he is the top expert on the subject but the treatment failed and he said we had no hope and suggested adoption."

After years of waiting and countless disappointments they finally decided to put the idea to the back of their minds last year and get on with their lives.

Amazingly, within a few months of that decision, the couple's prayers were answered and Gurnam had fallen pregnant.

The 33-year-old said: "I was alone in the house when the surgery rang to tell me my result was positive. A shiver ran down my spine - I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I just cried and cried."

The couple took some persuasion by medics before they really believed their dream had come true. On March 22 little Nirver Sonia Potiwal was born at the city's Princess Anne Hospital.

Mann, who works for South West Trains at Swaythling Station, said: "The number of cards and telephone calls and good wishes from doctors, patients, family and friends has been unbelievable.

"I've hardly been able to get near Sonia because she has had so much attention from everybody.

"My wife and I would like to thank Mr Wheeler a hospital consultant and all staff at the hospital as well as our GP Dr Ord-Hume, the Sikh community in Southampton and everyone who gave us words of encouragement over the years, particularly my mother, who is 80 years old.

"She accompanied us to India twice to help us find an answer to our problem and she never once gave up hope."

Dr Ord-Hume, said: "We're all delighted for the couple.

"Nature is incredible and we still don't understand it. I guess hormones react to pressure and trying to conceive is quite a pressure."

Now the couple are planning a huge family celebration in July, which will see relatives from Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Middlesbrough descending on Southampton for a three-day baptism ceremony.

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