Court paves way for gay adoption in North

The way has been cleared for gay couples in Northern Ireland to adopt children.

The Court of Appeal today rejected a case taken by the north's Health Minister against an earlier High Court ruling that a ban on same sex couples adopting children was unlawful.

The move also paves the way for unmarried heterosexual couples to adopt.

The ruling has been welcomed by Sinn Fein and the Alliance party in the north who have both appealed to Minister Edwin Poots to accept the decision and not waste any more taxpayers money on further court challenges.