After finding out the devastating news that they could not conceive naturally, a desperate couple stumbled upon an alternative option to childbearing.

Crystal Duke, 24, was diagnosed with a condition which means her body does not produce eggs and is therefore virtually impossible to fall pregnant.

So she and husband Terry, 34, of Ealing, West London, decided to buy a 'reborn baby' for £350 to fill the void.

Crystal, 24, and Terry Duke, 34, pictured holding their 'reborn baby' named George, which they specially commissioned for £350

Crystal and Duke treat the doll, which they named George, like a real child, kitting it out with necessary baby essentials

The lifelike baby, which they named George after her grandfather, was crafted by a specialist artist who was able to recreate their features using images of the couple as children.

Crystal and Duke treat the doll like a real child, kitting it out with necessary baby essentials, and even set their alarms so they can give it a specially designed bottle for a late-night feed.

'It makes a crying sound. I know most parents complain about having to do midnight feeds but Terry and I had been wanting to do them for so long we enjoyed it,' Crystal told the Sunday People.

The couple, who have been dreaming of being parents for years, are so in love with their 'son' that they also splashed out £250 on Christmas presents for it and took it to meet Father Christmas.

As well as changing its nappy, Crystal and Terry also take George out in his pram for walks in the park and to play on the swings, as well as taking him on bus journeys.

The couple sent their own baby photos to an artist who was able to recreate their features on the lifelike doll. (Pictured) Crystal as a baby

The proud parents even took the doll to meet Father Christmas and splashed out £250 on presents

To make sure they have the full baby experience, the parents have also been researching what George's first word could be and plan to pass the dolls down when they eventually have children of their own using donor eggs.

Crystal, who met Terry in 2008, said she was left 'devastated' after trying for a baby with her husband for two years to no avail.

When she found out the reason behind their failed attempts, Crystal sunk into a deep depression: 'I was beyond devastated. Everything I had ever hoped for, my dreams of a family, were shattered,' she said.

'I had spent years imagining looking at my baby, seeing a perfect mix of me and Terry staring back.'

After they were turned down for adoption because their one-bedroom flat was not suitable for a baby, their doctor suggested they research the lifelike dolls.

They've received some backlash, but Crystal says she 'doesn't care' and is now planning on adding a baby sister to their brood

The doll arrived in the post and the couple told the newspaper how they shared the special 'opening ceremony' with their friends and family in a Facebook video.

Since the doll's arrival in October of last year, the new family have only experienced some minor backlash - one incident happened when another mother was kicked off a bus as there wasn't space for two pushchairs.

The woman had said Crystal didn't deserve the spot because her baby wasn't real.

For Crystal and Mark, the next 'exciting' step is to add to their brood and they are planning on ordering a baby sister for George, who would be 0-3 months.