Tristan Deri Flynn Thomas weighed 8lbs 14ozs

But pioneering treatment in the United States has resulted in the birth, on Wednesday, of Tristan Deri Flynn.

Roger was paralysed from the neck down in a rugby accident when he was 17 and was told by doctors that he could never have children.

Surgeons recommended that the couple use a sperm donor.

But the couple never gave up hope.

Mr Thomas used the internet to find a clinic in Los Angeles offering a new kind of fertility treatment called ICSI, where a single sperm is injected into an egg.

It failed the first time but his wife became pregnant after a second round of treatment.

The treatment cost �25,000 which was partly funded by a home improvement loan and a �5,000 grant by the Welsh Rugby Union's Charitable Trust.

The sleepless nights and all the little niggles of having a child won't be a problem for us after everything we've been through.

Roger Thomas

Mr Thomas present at the birth of Tristan who weighed 8lbs 14ozs.

He described the experience as being "long drawn out but certainly not boring."

"The sleepless nights and all the little niggles of having a child won't be a problem for us after everything we've been through," he said.

The couple want their story to give hope to other couples in the same situation.

And, as far as adding to the family is concerned, Mr Thomas added: "It is a possibility, but we haven't decided yet, we'll take it one at a time at the moment."