A COUPLE who helped with an international babies-for-sale investigation are about to give a home to the toddler they feared they had lost forever.

During a nine-month long probe, Pat and Stephen Hampson, of Darwen, were offered a child called Jonathan to adopt in Guatemala.

Irregularities were later discovered in the baby's birth certificate and the devastated couple were forced to hand him back to the authorities after just three days.

Now an 18-month wait which included a trip to Guatemala, is almost over as the excited couple have been told their legal adoption of Jonathan, now 20-months-old, has been finalised. Pat , 33, and Stephen, 38, expect to be reunited with him during the next month from the Central American orphanage where he has been living.

They have decided to stay tight-lipped about their amazing story until the youngster is safely home.

And a room at the excited couple's house has already been decorated in preparation for the big day.

The pair worked with undercover TV researchers from Central Television's The Cook Report, who gathered evidence on the illegal sale of babies.

Pat was on a priority waiting list for IVF and visited a private clinic to help her lose weight. She became suspicious when a doctor asked if she had ever thought about adopting a baby from abroad, and a family friend contacted The Cook Report.

The programme showed emotional scenes as they spent time with Jonathan.

A spokesman for Central Television, the company which produces the documentary series, said: "The Cook Report team has now been disbanded.

"But every member is delighted and think it is great there was a happy ending for the couple and the little boy."

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