NOISY nookie next door sparked at least 100 complaints from neighbours in a year.

Loud love-making with moaning, groaning, headboard banging and squeaky bedsprings stopped others getting a good night’s kip.

And in some cases, council officials gave those complaining noise diaries or recording equipment to monitor sound levels.

Randy Rotherham had the highest number of recorded complaints about the racket made during romps, with 15.

One irate caller in Islington, North London, told the council the neighbours “were making sex noises through the night and the bed was making creaking and banging noises as well”.

A resident blamed for a sexual din in Bradford was sent a council warning letter.

When that did not work, a council worker planted a recording device in the home of the neighbour who had complained.

A noise officer then listened to the recording, and deemed the racket “unreasonable”.

A resident of Telford, Shrops, complained the neighbours’ headboard kept banging against the wall.

And in Kingston, South West London, a local said the couple next door were “having the loudest sex imaginable”.

The survey of councils under Freedom of Information rules found 30 recorded 98 such complaints.

But the true total will be much higher as the majority could not give a number. Culprits could be fined £110 or even face court action.

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Noisy nookie next door sparked at least 100 complaints from neighbours in a year[/caption]

TEENS are bombarded with up to 360 phone messages a day – and could spend a total of 25 YEARS glued to their mobiles, a Sun on Sunday probe reveals.

Concerned experts are warning that the shock usage poses a threat to kids’ mental health.

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Teens are bombarded with up to 360 phone messages a day – and could spend a total of 25 YEARS glued to their mobiles[/caption]

We tracked four youngsters’ phone use over seven days and the results surprised even their parents.

One 16-year-old got almost 2,500 alerts — that is nearly 360 messages a day and one text every two-and-a-half minutes.

Another was sent more than 1,600 messages, and one 15-year-old admitted she had messaged a friend back and forth for 967 consecutive days.

Our shock findings come as a new report lays bare the amount of time kids spend on their devices — and experts fear youngsters’ mental health is being hit by extreme usage.

Labour MP Joani Reid, who is leading the call for a ban on smartphones in schools, said: “Hundreds of messages a day isn’t just about distractions in school — it’s about safety.

“Every notification could expose our kids to serious dangers — grooming by predators, cyberbullying and graphic, harmful content. Apps like Snapchat and TikTok often shield these interactions from parents, leaving teenagers vulnerable and isolated.

“We need tougher regulations forcing tech companies to prioritise child safety over profit. Parents alone can’t monitor every message or app — Government and schools must step up.”

Addictive apps

A new study has found that the average secondary school pupil is on their mobile for five-and-a-half hours each day.

If they keep that up, they could spend up to 25 years of their lives staring at a phone screen.

And 68 per cent of youngsters polled by Fluid Focus said their academic performance was affected by their smartphone use, with 40 per cent admitting to constantly checking their mobile while studying.

Popular teenager Art McGrath, 16, from Leyton, East London, had the most smartphone traffic of all the youngsters we tracked — receiving a staggering 2,493 messages in seven days.

His notifications comprised 2,320 Snapchat messages, 112 WhatsApp chats and 61 Instagram alerts. This averages out to 356 messages a day.

Art said: “Snapchat is the main messaging app. I’ve been on it since I was around 12. Everyone is on it.

“I have groups with different friendship groups. I don’t give myself phone breaks. If I get a message, I can end up stuck in a loop.”

Snapchat is the biggest player in the world of youngsters’ messaging apps and is used by 74 per cent of teens in the UK, according to Ofcom.

It has been accused of exposing youngsters to bullying and grooming, and slated for its addictive qualities.

‘Zero tolerance’

Snapchat insists it has a “zero tolerance” approach to sexual exploitation and says it removes harmful content immediately.

Its Streaks function, which tracks the consecutive days two users have messaged each other, has been criticised for being addictive.

But bosses at the tech firm say it is just a “fun thing”.

Grace Dainty, 15, from Witney, Oxfordshire, maintains a Streak of 967 days with one pal.

Over seven days, she received 1,620 messages, with the vast majority — 1,594 — on Snapchat.

She said: “All of my friends, bar one, are on Snapchat. I have a Streak with my best friend of 967. I don’t want to let this go. When I get an alert, I look at my phone and respond straight away if it’s good.

“If a close friend didn’t reply straight away, I would be concerned.”

Mum Caroline, a 46-year-old social worker, said: “I was surprised at the number of messages. This has opened my eyes to how Snapchat works.”

I was surprised at the number of messages. This has opened my eyes to how Snapchat works

Caroline Dainty

While Grace may feel as if constant messaging is key to her friendships, psychologist Dr Charlotte Armitage insists: “As much as people feel like they’re connected through phones, they’re not — it’s a pseudo-connection.

“We need a connection in real life to feel the benefits. Our relationships are crucial for health and life longevity, so we become more disconnected.

“It’s snowballed in the last five years and it’s getting worse with AI, because not only are people not talking to other people, in apps they are now talking to bots instead.”

Dr Armitage, the author of Generation Zombie, also warned of the addictive nature of messaging apps.

She said: “The brain becomes used to frequent stimulation and struggles to focus without it, as it starts to search for the next hit of dopamine.

“This has consequences for a child’s attentiveness, interpersonal skills such as listening in conversation, ability to engage in academia or any other activity that doesn’t provide a dopamine release at regular intervals.”

A study from King’s College London found that one in four children has “problematic smartphone usage”, meaning they use their devices in a way that is consistent with addiction.

Banned in lessons

But none of the teens we polled considered their phone use to be unusual or over the top. They all went to bed with their devices and checked them as soon as they woke.

Every one of them was allowed to take their handset to school, though the vast majority were banned from using devices in lessons.

Some continued to text anyway, while others said teachers didn’t enforce the rules.

Lottie Taylor, 14, from Farsley, Leeds, received 1,243 messages over a week — 75 per cent of them via Snapchat.

She said: “I like Streaks and have 39 people I send to on a daily basis.

“I wake up and the first thing I’ll do is get on my phone. The longest streak I’ve got is 574 with my best friend. I like to keep them up. It’s a symbol of friendship. I check my Streaks last thing at night as well.”

I wake up and the first thing I’ll do is get on my phone. The longest streak I’ve got is 574 with my best friend. I like to keep them up. It’s a symbol of friendship. I check my Streaks last thing at night as well

Lottie Taylor

Lottie’s mum Lydia, 43, a primary school teacher, said: “It’s hard to get Lottie moving on a morning because she won’t get out of bed until she’s done her Streaks.”

In Snapchat messages shared with The Sun on Sunday, Lottie and her friend discuss meeting up in the park.

Lottie says: “Ikk [I know] we need to hang out… Bruh I just washed my hair.” Her pal replies: “Aw bless. Anyway meet you at mine then we’ll out.”

Meanwhile, Logan Hook, 15, from Pudsey, West Yorkshire, received 528 messages in a week on Snapchat and WhatsApp.

He said: “I’m in a couple of WhatsApp groups for football mates, and one with school mates.

“I don’t think I get a crazy amount of messages, but I will chat to arrange stuff or talk football.”

In messages on a football team WhatsApp group, sneakily sent during class time, one friend laments his poor performance on the pitch, saying: “I was awful.”

Another pal adds: “I didn’t play bad but didn’t play good either”, before Logan replies: “What do you think ur doing texting in class”.

ART McGRATH, 16 – Leyton, East London

Darren Fletcher

Art McGrath, 16, from Leyton, East London gets 2,493 messages a week[/caption]

Messages per week: 2,493

Average per day: 356

Platforms: Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram

Parent: Dad Nick, 54, a writer, gets around 160 messages in a day, mostly on WhatsApp.

LOGAN HOOK, 15 – Pudsey, West Yorks

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Logan Hook, 15, from Pudsey, West YorksLogan Hook, 15, gets 528 messages per week[/caption]

Messages per week: 528

Average per day: 75

Platforms: Snapchat and WhatsApp

Parent’s use: Mum Kirsty, 44, a doctor’s receptionist, gets around 55 messages a day, mainly on WhatsApp.

LOTTIE TAYLOR, 14 – Farsley, Leeds

Glen Minikin

Lottie Taylor, 14, from Farsley, Leeds receives 1,234 messages per week[/caption]

Messages per week: 1,234

Average per day: 178

Platforms: Snapchat, WhatsApp, TikTok

Parent’s use: Mum Lydia, 43, has around 186 messages a day on WhatsApp, texts and Instagram.

SMILING tennis aces Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz grow closer on and off court — and seem destined for a love match.

Brit Emma, 22, put her arm around the world No.2 as he joined her as a global brand ambassador for bottled water Wimbledon sponsor Evian.

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Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz grow closer on and off court — and seem destined for a love match[/caption]

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Emma put her arm around Carlos as he joined her as a global brand ambassador for bottled water Wimbledon sponsor Evian[/caption]

In another snap, the pair — due to partner at the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship in August — laughed on court and have a clear “spark”, insiders say.

World No.38 Emma set tongues wagging when she was seen cheering on Wimbledon favourite Carlos, 22, at Queen’s Club earlier this month.

She tried to play down rumours of a blossoming relationship at a press conference yesterday, grinning as she insisted that she and Spaniard Carlos are “just good friends”.

The pair will team up at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre in August as they both look to add a doubles success to their US Open singles titles.

SunSport exclusively revealed earlier this week that the duo’s relationship goes further than the court, but Raducanu insists there’s no romance.

When asked about it in her pre-Wimbledon press conference, the British star said while giggling: “We’re just good friends”.

Raducanu is jumping at the idea of teaming up with the World No2, who is hot off the heels of winning the French Open earlier this month.

Recalling when Alcaraz asked her to join forces, Raducanu said: “I mean, of course, I had to ask my team if they wanted me to play.

“But for me, when he asked me, I was going to say yes, I just had to kind of go through the formality of asking my coach, so I didn’t just make the decision.”

On how they became friends, Raducanu added: “I’ve known him for years.

“And actually in Wimbledon 2021 it was like kind of the first time I started getting to know him, and I had a good run there and then also again in the US Open in 2021.”

Brit No.2 Katie Boulter, 28, said yesterday she feels “safe” at Wimbledon after revealing she and her family have had death threats.

AN RAF drone wiped out an IS jihadi on a motorbike after tracking him through Syria, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.

The Islamist terrorist was taken out by a Hellfire missile fired from the £24million Reaper drone.

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Tyrant Bashar Al-Assad fled to Moscow after rebel forces swept to power in Syria[/caption]

The unmanned aircraft began tailing the motorcycle-riding fighter in Sarmada, near the border with Turkey, after intelligence identified him as a “known member” of IS.

The Ministry of Defence told The Sun on Sunday in a statement: “The Reaper’s crew carefully tracked the terrorist on his motorcycle.

“Having checked that there were no signs of civilians nearby who might be placed at risk, [they] conducted a successful engagement, striking the motorcycle and eliminating the terrorist.”

Sources added the remotely-operated drone’s crew were “extremely careful” to wait for a “gap” during the trailing of the terrorist.

The took him out when no other traffic or pedestrians were within a clear radius of him.

It is understood they had been monitoring him for “some time” before firing the Hellfire missile at him.

The June 10 strike was the second RAF drone hit on an IS member in Syria this year.

In February — three months after tyrant Bashar Al-Assad fled to Moscow and rebel forces swept to power — another British drone pilot killed a member of the death cult in Aleppo.

The UK has been fighting IS, also called Daesh, since 2014.

The operation, codenamed Shader, saw the RAF conducting air strikes against the terror group in Iraq and later Syria.

It has become one of the RAF’s biggest operations in the last 25 years, with British pilots flying more than 10,000 sorties and striking more than 1,400 targets.

UK jets have carried out a fifth of all air strikes by coalition forces, equivalent to the contribution by US pilots.

Last year, former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace revealed that an IS terrorist had to be taken out by an RAF drone — because human rights laws prevented the SAS from seizing him.

The Islamist, who was making biological weapons, was among several killed after snatch operations were ruled out.

He was eliminated in a Hellfire missile blitz in 2022.

Mr Wallace said lawyers told him the European Convention on Human Rights made it illegal to hand over any suspects to Syria due to the risk of torture.

But they could also not be taken to Britain because there was no extradition treaty with the Assad regime.

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ISIS propaganda photo showing masked terrorists in Syria[/caption]

ACTRESS Emma Laird seems to have travelled back in time by going on a date with Matt Smith.

The starlet, who at 26 is 16 years Matt’s junior, was last week snapped laughing with the former Doctor Who star outside a trendy bakery in North London.

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Actress Emma Laird has been snapped on a date with Matt Smith in London, pictured attending the 28 Years Later film premiere[/caption]

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Emma laughing with the former Doctor Who star outside a trendy bakery in North London[/caption]

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The pair seem to have rekindled their romance[/caption]

Emma, seen at her 28 Years Later film premiere earlier this month, left, seems to have rekindled her romance with Matt, after the pair were first seen in a clinch outside a pub two years ago.

An onlooker said: “The pair look relaxed in each other’s company as they sat outside and Matt puffed on a cigarette.”

Matt, who stepped down as the sonic screwdriver-wielding Doctor after four years in 2013, has a history of high-profile romances.

He was pictured holding hands with Billie Piper at a Surrey fete in 2006.

She played Rose Tyler in 34 episodes from 2005 to 2008 before returning for one special in 2010 and another in 2013 marking the show’s 50th episode.

At the start of the year, Matt was also spotted with Brazilian model Jessica Felix

The two were snapped sharing a snog.

He counts models Daisy Lowe and Mayana Moura among his ex-flames.

He broke up with actress Lily James in 2019 but briefly rekindled their romance the following year.

Matt played Prince Philip in Netflix series The Crown, then landed a starring role in Game Of Thrones spin-off House Of The Dragon as Daemon Targaryen.

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Ruben Amorim is willing to loan Andre Onana and find a new No 1.

The Red Devils keeper’s salary is so high it has been difficult to sell him after a poor season so the door is open to a temporary switch.

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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is willing to loan Andre Onana and find a new No 1[/caption]

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Onana has endured another disappointing season at Old Trafford[/caption]

United are waiting for approaches this summer and would prefer a European club to come in rather than a Premier League rival.

Ligue 1 Monaco have asked the question but even with their wealth it would still be a stretch to pay the Cameroonian’s wages.

Now a replacement for Onana, 29, is being worked on with Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, 32, a top target — but he would cost a big fee.

The shot-stopper, who wants to stay and fight for his place, has amassed a total of 101 appearances with United since his £47million move from Inter Milan in 2023.

Onana, whose deal runs until 2028, counts 24 clean sheets and has conceded 148 goals during his two-year spell in Manchester.

Botafogo’s John Victor is another option after catching the eye at the Fifa Club World Cup.

The Red Devils were watching the Brazilian, 29, last summer but have yet to commit.

However, he is open to any club in England and available at a bargain £6million.

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Another potential recruit is 25-year-old Portugal international Diogo Costa, who has a £64million release clause in his Porto contract.

Costa seems set to leave his homeland during this window and has ‘dreams’ of playing in the Premier League.

Recent developments suggest that Porto are also on the hunt for a new goalkeeper, which boosts United’s chances of securing him.

Cruz Azul No 1 Kevin Mier, is on Porto‘s shortlist and has been prioritised by club president and former Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Meanwhile, Real Betis also appear ready to receive a significant cash injection, potentially boosting their ability to afford United flop Antony.

The Spanish side, who lost the Uefa Conference League final to Chelsea, are set to bag a £26m windfall with midfielder Johnny Cardoso on the brink of joining LaLiga rivals Atletico Madrid.

TRANSFER NEWS LIVE – KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW

SHE broke strict lockdown rules to host her boozy 30th bash, but four years on Rita Ora says her birthdays are a lonely affair.

The singer reveals that the milestone birthday in November 2020 sparked a major U-turn that saw her overhaul her health and focus on work. And it seems to have paid off.

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Instagram

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She has just released song Heat, filmed movie Voltron with Superman actor Henry Cavill and this week posed in a bikini from her successful Primark collection.

Rita said: “My work ethic, I’m proud of it. I think it’s higher than other people’s in a lot of different ways.

“I always want to break boundaries and inspire people, that’s always been my goal.

“And I do sacrifice a lot of things to do that, like I don’t see my family as much.

“I have lonely birthdays. I miss Christmases. It’s a lot of sacrifices to do this.

“I just came off this three-and-a- half-month shoot in Australia for a huge film called Voltron, which is a big-budget movie.

“It’s not easy doing these things and then also making a record on the weekends, which is the only days I have off.

“If you’re willing to do the work, nothing is impossible. I really do believe people can do it all.”

Her new attitude to life is a far cry from in her twenties when the Hot Right Now singer admits she was dazzled by the fame and fortune she had created for herself.

It is perhaps why she thought it was acceptable to splash out thousands of pounds on her party at Casa Cruz, in London’s Notting Hill, for all her mates when the UK was in its second strict Covid lockdown.

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‘Confident in my choices’

Not only had the venue been paid to flout the rules, the star’s security team had ordered the CCTV cameras to be turned off. Rita ended up paying a £10,000 fine.

Talking about her hellraising days, Rita, who grew up in West London after her family moved there from Kosovo when she was a baby, admitted: “I made money, I didn’t come from money, and I just really was living every day like it was my last, with no care about what was going to happen the next day.

“I regret not being a bit more considerate, I would say, with myself, my body, my mental health, but also others.

!I was always respectful and appreciative of others, but I was like, ‘This is what we are doing and that’s that’.

“I never really understood, I guess, how much responsibility I had for other people, like my fans, how much I inspire people or, I guess, the pressures we have to keep people on the right path.

“I think a lot of people were looking up at me, looking for me to give them a lot of answers, and I didn’t mentally digest that.

“I was just living, going and going and not stopping.

“But it’s hard for me too. I think for anyone in my position to wake up one day and you’re like, ‘Oh, wow, I have all these people that are depending on me to really give them inspiration’. I’m also human.

“But now I feel like it’s something that I take pride in.”

I don’t want to stop feeling good. That’s the one thing I care about.

Rita Ora

The backlash over her bash, after which her father give her a ticking-off – was the catalyst for change.

On the Reign With Josh Smith podcast, Rita explained she felt “old” and decided to get her “life in check”.

She said: “When I turned 30 a lot changed. My body was just not reacting the same and I was not eating healthily.

“I was getting sick all the time. I couldn’t do more than two, three shows in a row – and usually I could do a whole week of shows if I needed to.

“I was like, ‘OK, I want to just try to simply eat a little healthier’. So I would do cauliflower rice instead of rice. I would change things a little bit.

Rita’s routine

“I don’t want to become a health guru or anything, but during that time I was really seeing my body reacting differently.

“And then I was like, ‘Oh, let me lift some weights’. And now I’m really obsessed with my weekly routine.”

That routine involves “exercise, ginger shots and supplements” and being “mentally present”.

Rita says her mum Vera, a psychiatrist, helped too.

The singer explained: “She never forced therapy on us, but there was always that essence of maybe you should speak to somebody.

“And I did. Now I’ve just got really cool, great tools and I just feel more confident in my choices. I do have the best relationship with myself than ever before, I really do.

“It’s also made other relationships stand out that were not healthy.

“And those people now are angry, but that is their problem and not mine.

“I find that when you have that relationship with yourself, everything changes, you know?

“You find things come to you that you’re like, ‘Whoa, how have I blocked that out?’. But it’s taken me a while, and I’m still working on it.

“I don’t want to stop feeling good. That’s the one thing I care about.”

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Happily married

Rita, who married Hollywood filmmaker Taika Waititi, 49, in 2022, has also slowed down — after a fortune teller, who only works with high- profile clients, suggested she do this.

She told the podcast: “She said to me, ‘Your life is like a pile of sand in your palm and it can go through your fingers at any moment’.

“It’s about how you protect your one pile of life in the palm of your hand and make sure you move slowly and steadily.

“That always stuck with me. I used to rush to things and be like, ‘I want it now’.

“I’m trying to move a bit more steadily and not react so much because once you react impulsively, it’s usually something you’ll end up regretting, right?

“I try my best to just take a second before I respond to things. And that’s helped me a lot.”

Splash

After a few years away from the charts, Rita’s new summer hit Heat makes a return to unadulterated pop after her last, very personal, album You & I charted her romance and marriage to Taika.

She said: “My last record was amazing, in my opinion, because it had depth and a storyline, and it was about love.

“I got married and I really was inspired by my relationship, and it just was where I was at in my life.

“And now I’m at a point where I love my partner, love my relationship.”

Laughing, Rita added: “But f*** that. I just want to be in the moment and have fun and think about what I want to feel like when I’m in Ibiza with my friends, drinking a Chardonnay with ice, having the sun beaming down, SPF making me sweat.

“How do I want to feel when I’m drunk in the day?

“And that was how Heat happened. I had the best time making this record.

“I love the idea of the fact I’m speaking, it’s like sex on sight, it’s intentional, it’s direct, it’s kind of cheeky, it’s rude, it’s iconic.”

Kind of like Rita herself.

TAMARA Ecclestone has blasted three foreign crooks deported after repaying just £37,000 following her £26million gem raid, saying: “There will never be any justice.”

They were kicked out of Britain in an early removal scheme, despite coughing up just a fraction of the proceeds from the heist at the heiress’s mansion.

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BBC

CCTV footage captured the moment the men broke in to the Ecclestone family home[/caption]

But Tamara, 40, daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, said: “I have not received any compensation for the burglary but no amount could ever compensate for the aggressive home invasion we suffered.”

Jugoslav Jovanovic, 27, Alessandro Maltese, 48, and Alessandro Donati, 47, were jailed for a total of 28 years in November 2021 over the 2019 heist in Kensington, West London.

In a proceeds of crime confiscation order, a judge told the Italians to repay £435,000.

But a Sun on Sunday Freedom of Information request revealed payments of just £30,376.79, £2,155.53 and £4,349.65 respectively.

They were deported having served a fraction of their sentences — and will now walk free.

Tamara said: “My children are in fear that thieves could return to the house while they are sleeping. There will never be any justice for that.”

Tory MP Sir John Hayes said: “These criminals should serve the remainder of their sentence in Italy.

“They should not be allowed to walk the streets.

“We have to work with the Italian authorities to try to recover the proceeds of this robbery.”

The CPS said it will seek more cash if other assets are discovered.

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Jugoslav Jovanovic was one of the crooks involved in the burglary[/caption]

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Alessandro Maltese, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle[/caption]

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Alessandro Donati was also one of the thieves jailed and later deporte[/caption]

ATTORNEY General Lord Richard Hermer enjoyed a £1,500 taxpayer-funded stay at a luxury four-star hotel, stats show.

He and staff racked up the four-figure bill while at an event where he gave a speech promoting stronger EU links.

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Lord Richard Hermer enjoyed a £1,500 taxpayer-funded stay at a luxury four-star hotel, stats show[/caption]

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Lord Hermer and staff racked up the four-figure bill while at an event where he gave a speech promoting stronger EU links[/caption]

The controversial lawyer, appointed last year by PM Sir Keir Starmer, stayed at the Hotel Papadopoli in Venice — which has been described as an “emblem of elegance and legacy”.

Papers released by the Attorney General’s Office show £1,523 was paid on December 7.

Costs are said to include two aides.

A spokesman said: “The Attorney General’s Office remains committed to ensuring the most cost-effective way of travel, delivering best value for money for the taxpayer.”

Lord Hermer has been involved in a number of controversies during Sir Keir’s first year in office.

He has compared those calling to exit the European Court of Human Rights to Nazis.

And The Sun reported yesterday that he called claims the UK has a two-tier justice system “disgusting”.

A WOMAN has bravely shared how her dream of becoming a mother after losing 14 babies was brutally snatched away.

Kirby Hood, 36, said she was blindsided when the woman she trusted to be her surrogate mother kicked her out from the hospital after changing her mind at the last moment – and deciding to keep the newborn.

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Kirby Hood, 36, has bravely opened up about her heartbreak after a surrogate couple turned her life upside down[/caption]

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The photographer had battled infertility for more than a decade, enduring 14 miscarriages[/caption]

Kirby, a photographer from Queensland, Australia, had battled infertility for more than a decade, enduring loss after loss, before the ”experienced surrogate” offered her what she called ”the chance of a lifetime”.

”I trusted her, and she kept my baby after leading me on for nine months believing that the baby would be coming home with me,” the devastated 36-year-old told Daily Mail Australia.

”My baby was born in February and I’m only just coming up for air. 

”I have everything in writing – the card she gave me offering to be my surrogate, the paperwork from the lawyers, and all the texts.”

Kirby attended doctors’ appointments regarding the pregnancy, and viewed ultrasounds – all with the encouragement of the surrogate – and covered all the medical costs throughout the process.

Excited for the new chapter ahead, she threw a baby shower, held a gender reveal party and documented her journey to motherhood on social media.

The birth mother even attended the gender reveal party and met all of Kirby’s close friends and family who ”wanted to touch her tummy and fuss around her”.

Kirby, a newborn photographer, first met the surrogate, who lived in her local area, in 2019.

She was told that this would be the surrogate’s “third and final child”.

In September 2021, the woman rebooked for some family photos, and in 2022 Kirby was booked again as the woman was entering her first surrogacy journey, and Kirby was hired as her photographer to capture the special moment.

The Gold Coast photographer said that having witnessed the woman faithfully fulfil her surrogate role for someone else, she trusted her to do the same again.

Meanwhile, Kirby continued with her own quest to become a mother and underwent an embryo transfer.

Unfortunately, after meeting a family through an IVF group, she suffered a miscarriage in 2023.

Uber Eats order that changed everything

”During the early days of my loss I made an Uber Eats order and the surrogate’s sister was the Uber Eats driver.

”She said to her sister, ‘Hey it’s Kirby, your photographer friend – jump in the car and come for a run to drop this order off’.”

After opening the door, Kirby met the birth mum who had a package with chocolates, magazines, flowers and a card – and they hugged, as Kirby burst into tears.

The card said: “When the time comes, you know I’m good for it. Love to be your surrogate.”

The two kept in touch about a potential surrogacy, but Kirby eventually came to the conclusion that she did not want to risk more potential heartbreak.

However, a call out of the blue changed everything. 

Whilst at work, the photographer received a Facetime call from the surrogate – who announced she was having a baby.

Confused, Kirby asked if the woman had transferred eggs without her knowing.

She explained she had accidentally fallen pregnant with her partner, but they do not want another kid.

”At first I was cautious – how does this work? How does this happen? I’m pretty sure you can’t just cook a baby for someone and just hand it over. 

”Aren’t there laws? I only knew of the laws of surrogacy [not adoption].”

In a state of shock, Kirby handed the phone to her mum who was at the photography studio at the time.

”Mum said: ‘What does this mean?’, and the surrogate said: ‘It means Kirby is going to be a mama,’ and I just bawled.”

The birth mother showed Kirby the living children on Facebook that she still followed and the families that were successful from her donations.

However, given the situation had changed from a standard surrogacy to an agreement to hand over a baby that was both conceived and carried by the birthing mother, Kirby sought legal advice.

Here, she was told that if the parents didn’t want to keep the baby, the newborn had to go to foster care and would be assessed a fair order and placed with a registered family.

Kirby then contacted the woman to pass on that disappointing news – but she already had an alternative plan.

”She told me that was rubbish and that I can be on the birth certificate as a same-sex couple, and so with a lawyer we drew up parentage orders,” she said.

As part of that, you can legally name [the baby] before birth so it’s in the paperwork.

Kirby decided to name her daughter-to-be Xanthe and the pair agreed she was going to be at the birth.

Left all alone

Then came another shock.

Throughout the long process of trying to become a mum, Kirby’s husband had been by her side, but just when it appeared imminent, he suddenly moved out.

Up until then, he had been to the scans and even had the ultrasound photo made into a keyring he carried around.

But he walked out the weekend after Father’s Day.

”I have lost 14 babies and it was too much for him.

”He told me two IVF rounds before that he was done, but I didn’t want to listen, I just wanted one more chance to try.”

Heartbroken Kirby called the surrogate and her partner to tell them her husband had left, but they said they had no issues with her being a single mum and assured her everything remained on course.

Needing to generate enough money as a sole income earner to be able to support herself and a baby, Kirby threw herself into work.

Things felt off

Kirby Hood36

However, after she missed one of the scans as a birth shoot took 10 hours and overlapped with the appointment, the birth mother sent her a text questioning Kirby’s priorities. 

Although she was feeling ”there were red flags”, Kirby ”didn’t want to believe anything may be wrong”.

A few weeks prior to the birth, Kirby was asked to meet the couple in a nearby park, where they told her that they no longer wanted her at the birth, explaining it was for minor medical reasons.

It was at this point that she started to have serious doubts, wondering whether the couple had had a change of heart about handing the daughter over.

On the birth day, she received a message that told her the baby had arrived, and she drove to the hospital – although, totally unsure what to expect when she got there.

”Things felt off, and I knew it wasn’t happening,” she admitted.

Kirby asked for a social worker to be present, but was instead asked to leave.

As if she ”was a danger”, the hospital went into lockdown and Kirby left before bawling in her car.

Two days later, the birth mother called Kirby to notify her that Child Services were involved now and there’s nothing she could do about it.

Kirby spent long hours contacting authorities, trying to track the baby down so she could be considered as a legal parent.

But it wasn’t until weeks later that she found out the couple had not given the child up – and had instead made the decision to keep the little girl after all. 

”Someone sent me a screenshot of the surrogate’s Facebook where she had announced the birth of her little girl.

”I wasn’t angry, just hurt. If they changed their minds, why didn’t they just tell me? 

”Of course, I would have been upset, but I would have understood. I know how hard it is to lose a baby. I would have understood.”

Kirby has not heard from the couple since March, and they have refused her requests that they refund the thousands of dollars she had forked out on medical costs and baby equipment.

They said they they will her in court, Kirby told the publication.

”But I want people to know about it, about what happened and for legislation to be changed. 

”I just don’t want anyone else to ever feel like this.”