A Roman Catholic mother whose son was to be placed with gay foster parents in Brighton has been told the local council has halted the plans.
The ten-year-old, who is also a devout Roman Catholic, was due to be placed with the couple last month despite his mother’s objections.
But Brighton and Hove Council says it is now reviewing the plans after being presented with legal arguments from the mother’s lawyers.
The boy reportedly meets with his mother twice a week, and texts her every night about his homework and prayers.
The mother, who is recovering from a mental breakdown following an abusive marriage, said: “I am so happy and relieved. So is my son. Our religion is very important to us.”
A poll released last week showed that the population is split over the issue of gay adoption, with 49 per cent supporting it and 47 per cent against.
Earlier this year Edinburgh City Council turned down a couple’s bid to adopt their grandchildren because at 46 and 59 they were considered too old.
The children were instead placed with a male homosexual couple. When their grandparents raised objections, they were told that unless they dropped their opposition they would never see the children again.
In April it was reported that two boys from Somerset had been placed with a same-sex couple in spite of the fact that it went against the “family’s Christian values”.