Skip to content

Ukraine: 'We want to get our surrogate baby home'

A couple from Northern Ireland who have had a baby through surrogacy in Ukraine have appealed for urgent help to get their baby home from the warzone.

Jaunty Beau was born on 31 January and his parents Mary and Peter McDonnell, from County Down, have been trying to bring him home since.

Mary and Peter McDonnell started their surrogacy journey before the war broke out.

Read full story here.

23 February 2024

Explore More

A compilation picture of Andrea Byrne speaking in front of a microphone in the radio studio and beside it is a picture of Andrea Byrne and her husband

Infertility: I felt husband would be better off without me

Kamala Harris and Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold a press conference

Ros Atkins on... Why the US election is crucial to Ukraine

Ukrainian armed forces truck driving off road as it attempts to evade Russian fire

'We were surrounded by Russian troops - but escaped'

Damaged building in Poltava, Ukraine, after missile strike

Aftermath of deadly Russian attack on Ukrainian city

Lady standing by road with flowers

Russians tell BBC they are worried and angry at Ukraine incursion

Journalist wearing a protective helmet speaks into the camera as troops behind her remove a Russian flag from a building.

Ukrainian TV films inside Russia as flag removed

Composite image shows an aeroplane in the air, a Russian flag being removed and debris on a road

BBC Verify analyses footage of Ukraine's incursion into Russia

Destroyed truck in video taken from mobile phone on another vehicle

Footage posted online shows destroyed Russian convoy

Sir Keir Starmer

Starmer's first PMQs question from Sunak as prime minister

Joe Biden at Nato summit

'Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin' - Biden gaffe with Ukraine leader

Video of rocket in studio with presenter Merlyn Thomas as she gestures with her hands in front of screen displaying the video

BBC Verify looks at evidence linking Russia to Kyiv hospital strike

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko

Vitali Klitschko calls Russian attacks 'genocide'

Smoke rises from collapsed hospital roof in Kyiv

Staff help clear rubble from destroyed Kyiv hospital

Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage: We provoked war in Ukraine

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen standing in front of woman being evacuated from her home

Hard choices as Ukraine faces worst crisis since war began

A large fire can be seen raging at the Epicentr K home improvement store

Watch: BBC's Jeremy Bowen at the site of Kharkiv strike

Antony Blinken plays guitar in Kyiv

Blinken shows off guitar-playing talents on Ukraine trip

rescue services at scene of explosion

Russian apartments collapse after explosion

The exhibition was on display in Moscow's Victory Park, it included British hardware given to Ukraine.

Russians flock to see captured Western tanks

Sophie met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky

Watch: Sophie meets Zelensky on Kyiv visit

Emma, with long brown hair and wearing a purple hoody, looks to the side of the camera

How schools can help bereaved pupils with grief

Emma, who lost her brother, says it can be "overwhelming" to deal with grief alongside school work.

Northern Ireland

Tom Hadden sits on a grey sofa. He is wearing a stripey top.

'Rural road crash changed my life'

Tom Hadden was driving a bin lorry down a country road when another truck collided with his vehicle.

Northern Ireland

A woman with straight blonde hair looks to the side of the camera. She is wearing a blue t-shirt and necklace.

Parents of SEN young people call for support

Currently pupils with special educational needs do not receive automatic support to continue in education when they leave school.

Northern Ireland

Memorial stone in Ballyatrick forest to Inga Maria Hauser. Bouquets of flowers have been placed around the stone

Murdered backpacker's family hopeful over inquest

Eighteen-year-old Inga Maria Hauser's body was found in Ballypatrick forest in County Antrim in 1988.

Northern Ireland

A hole in a dark gravel road up close with a road continuing in the background surrounded by fields

'The edges have eroded away'

Potholes and deteriorating rural roads are affecting journeys, said a transport provider.

Northern Ireland

Sebastian is being kissed on the cheek by his mother Amanda. He has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue jacket. Amanda is wearing a black and white headscarf and gold feathered earrings.

'He has nowhere to go and he's still there'

Sebastian's mother said he had limited access to the outside world after spending 10 months in hospital.

Northern Ireland

Noleen Mullan, the mother of Katie Simpson, speaking at a press conference. She is wearing an olive coat over a white top.

Katie Simpson family 'feeling empty' after report

Katie Simpson's mother says those responsible for police failings "are nowhere to be seen".

Northern Ireland

Debbie McCrudden

'I'm glad I didn't let the fear stop me'

Debbie McCrudden was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2014 and was worried about having children.

Northern Ireland

A man with black glasses and a yellow jumper looks at the camera. He has black hair

'We caught my cancer early - that was key'

Two men are raising awareness of the signs of testicular and prostate cancer.

Northern Ireland

A man with a black beard and black hair stands in front of University of Ulster building wearing a black hoody

Belfast reacts to Trump's US election victory

BBC NI asks people in Belfast how they feel about Donald Trump's victory in the US election.

Northern Ireland

Sandra Larmour

‘Drugs was never really a topic of conversation’

Sandra Larmour's daughter Jeni died hours after arriving at Newcastle University to begin her degree.

Northern Ireland

Gillian Kearney speaking at a police press conference. There is a green PSNI banner behind her and four microphones in front. She is in uniform and has blonde hair, which is tied back.

Increased police presence in Derry after attacks

Speaking at a press conference, Ch Supt Kearney says the extra policing will continue over the coming days.

Northern Ireland

Indiana Land sign, with snakes and birds

A trip down memory lane with BBC archives

More than 9,000 new video clips from the 1990s have been added to the BBC Northern Ireland Rewind website.

Northern Ireland

Cahir O'Hagan in football top in stadium

'Medication wasn't able to save my brother'

Cahir O'Hagan was 25 when he died from cystic fibrosis while waiting for a lung transplant.

Northern Ireland

Lara Storey sitting in front of a window

'I never had anyone sit down and take me seriously'

Former Tesco employee Lara Storey wants other women to know they don’t have to accept unwanted behaviour.

Northern Ireland

Melissa Hamilton - a woman with long, blonde hair which is tied back in a ponytail is smiling as she looks slightly off camera.

'To perform ballet back home is a dream come true'

Melissa Hamilton is performing three ballet shows in Belfast's Grand Opera House this weekend.

Northern Ireland

Kwame Daniels in front of the Telegraph building in Belfast. He is wearing thick-rimmed glasses, a green jacket, a red shirt and a ruck sack.

'I'm home': Anti-slavery show explores Belfast diversity

A unique live show commemorating Belfast's opposition to the slave trade has opened in the city centre.

Northern Ireland

Deirdre Shakespeare wearing a white blouse and gold necklace. She has wavy blonde hair and is outside. There are trees and fields behind her.

Mother 'vindicated' by report into autistic son's treatment

Deirdre Shakespeare's son, Harry, was restrained in a chair at his special school without her knowledge.

Northern Ireland

Christine McCleery - she has long blonde hair and a black top on.

'I want to prevent this happening again' - Mum of stillborn baby

Services for pregnant women need to be overhauled in Northern Ireland, a review finds.

Northern Ireland

Woody the dog - he wears a harness and is a red labrador. He has beautiful brown eyes

'One ferret killed 27 puffins' - the dog keeping seabirds safe

Ferrets and rats pose a grave risk to puffins and other seabirds who breed on Rathlin Island every year.

Northern Ireland