Tenby man Roger Thomas had one of the best birthday presents ever last week when his wife Jayne gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.

Little Trystan Flynn Thomas popped into the world a healthy 8lb 14ozs at 5.29 pm last Wednesday - the day before Roger's 42nd birthday - following pioneering new techniques in male fertility.

In 1977, at the age of 17-and-a-half, Roger suffered a serious spinal injury while playing rugby for Tenby's Greenhill School and has been wheelchair-bound ever since.

Although never told by doctors that he would be unable to have children, Roger and Jayne, who have been together 10 years and married last October, thought it unlikely due to the extent of Roger's paralysis.

However, thanks to assisted fertility techniques, Jayne became pregnant last year and little Trystan's birth at Withybush Hospital has confirmed the couple's belief that people should never give up hope.

It was about three years ago that Roger first learned about pioneering work on techniques which allowed men who had been paralysed for many years to become fathers.

Although treatment in the United Kingdom failed, further research by Roger and Jayne, of Coed-y-Glyn, Narberth Road, led to pioneering male fertility specialist Dr. Philip Werthman, who works in conjunction with female fertility expert Dr. Vicken Sahakian, in Los Angeles.

With a donation from the WRU and a private loan, the couple were able to fund the special intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection treatment in America. This involved an operation to extract sperm from Roger and then injecting it via super fine glass needles into several of Jayne's eggs.

Little Trystan had in fact been due to arrive on Roger's birthday, February 28, but decided to put in an early appearance.

"We'd been out for a drive in the hills and had a curry the day before, which seemed to set things off," smiled Roger.

"There was a full moon, too, and the midwives said that the maternity wards are always busier around a full moon!"

Jayne admitted that the birth had not been plain sailing, and there had been complications as the umbilical cord was wrapped around Trystan's neck, but could not praise enough the staff at the hospital.

'They were absolutely fantastic," she said. "Both midwives were wonderful and my birth partner, my sister-in-law Jane, was marvellous."

Due to the prolonged labour, Trystan spent some time in the special care baby unit, where Roger "got to have a good look at him".

"It was absolutely fantastic," he said.

Some five hours after the birth, Trystan was released from the special care unit and brought to Jayne.

"He started feeding straightaway," explained Roger. "It was brilliant, it was a really nice way to round off what had been a difficult and traumatic day!"

Jayne and Trystan were allowed home from hospital on Monday to be greeted by a mountain of cards and gifts from well-wishers.

"We've had more cards and parcels than at Christmas," smiled Roger. "We've heard from so many people, including several we haven't met for a long time - even one of my old university lecturers!

"It's been very busy here over the last couple of days, but it's been well worth it."

Jayne added that Trystan was a "really good" baby.

"He only cries when he needs something and he already knows both our voices," she said.

"He also likes his grandad, Denzil, too. He's got big, strong arms which must make him feel safe and secure."

"He's been round every day so far," smiled Roger. "He's over the moon, like we all are!"