A COUPLE who won the right to have fertility treatment after protesting at a football stadium are celebrating the birth of the baby they waited eight years for.

Gary and Laura McGee, of Tanfield Lea, were caught in a postcode lottery trap that meant they were unable to have IVF treatment before 2011 - while couples living not far away Sunderland, South Durham and Tyneside only have to wait a year.

The couple fought back and staged a protest in Sunderland's Stadium of Light football ground in February last year. Their banner, which called for an eight-year IVF waiting list to be cleared, was seen by thousands of fans and was picked up by the television cameras.

One of those who saw the protest on television was Wynn Griffiths, chief executive of Derwentside Primary Care Trust, who promised a review of services and later met the McGees.

As a result, Mr McGee, 30, and classroom assistant Mrs McGee, 24, were offered a cheaper option with a 12pc success rate. They agreed to take part in the programme and, a week ago, they celebrated the birth of 8lb 5oz baby Jack.

Sunderland fan Mr McGee said: "We can't put into words how overjoyed we feel.

"When we did the pregnancy test and it was positive we were speechless.

"We couldn't believe we'd done it after being given such a slim chance of success.

"Jack is all we have ever wanted and neither of us can quite believe he is really here after all this time."

IVF treatment costs £2,000 per couple and North Durham NHS bosses told the McGees they could not afford to pay after the number of patients wanting help to conceive rose to 55.

After their stadium protest, the couple were offered the chance of less invasive treatment, called intrauterine insemination.

Its success rate is only 12pc and each cycle costs £300.

Mr Griffiths said: "This is fantastic news and I'm delighted for Mr and Mrs McGee."