A MOTHER who faces a race against time to have a "designer baby" to save her son's life could be heading to America.

Denise Kelly is desperate to have another child in a bid to save her four-year-old son Nathan Howarth who suffers from the rare genetic disorder fanconi anaemia.

Miss Kelly, from Great Lever, was thrilled when British clinics were given the go ahead to screen IVF embryos to ensure a new-born baby would be a genetic match for an ill child. However, waiting lists in this country for the treatment are so long that she is now likely to travel to the United States where there are many more clinics prepared to help parents create designer babies.

If Miss Kelly does receive successful IVF treatment, stem cells from her future baby's umbilical cord would be manipulated to form healthy red blood cells to be infused into Nathan.

Nathan's consultant is sending an e-mail to a doctor in Texas to find out more about the chance of Denise flying out there for treatment.

If she and her partner, Mick Howarth, pay for treatment in Britain they could face a £100,000 bill, but clinics in the States charge between £15,000 and £17,000.

Even if the couple are given the go-ahead for treatment in America, they could still face years of heartache as the IVF process is not always initially successful and they might have to make several attempts.

Fanconi anaemia affects white blood cells and the production of bone marrow and people suffering from the illness have a life expectancy of about 12 years.

Nathan has been in and out of hospital since he was born because of several unconnected disorders.

He has heart and hearing problems, has had a lung removed and was ill for many months with a stomach ulcer.

Miss Kelly, aged 31, of Marion Street, said: "We just feel like we're in limbo-land at the moment.

"I'm getting fed-up of waiting. We started looking into this treatment 18 months ago and British clinics were given the go-ahead seven months ago, but I never have dreamed we would have to wait so long or that the whole thing would be so complicated.

"Whatever happens, I'm determined to have the treatment and will persevere."