Lesbian couple Vicky Hill and Hayley Marlow, who hoped to make history by having their own IVF baby, have split up.

The women, from Banbury, planned to have one of 22-year-old Miss Hill's eggs fertilised and implanted into 29-year-old Miss Marlow's womb.

They had begun preparations to have the procedure performed at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital's fertility unit. But just weeks after consulting doctors, their relationship fell apart.

Speaking in April to the Oxford Mail, the women said they were prepared to pay thousands of pounds to have a child of their own -- they even discussed names.

But Miss Hill has since moved out of Ms Marlow's home in Thornbury Rise.

IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) was engineered as a means of enabling infertile couples to conceive.

During treatment, eggs are fertilised with donor sperm outside the body in the laboratory, and implanted directly into the uterus.

Although other lesbian couples have had IVF in Oxfordshire, Miss Marlow would have been the first to use the procedure to actually carry her lover's child.

It is not known what prompted the couple's break-up, but after announcing their intentions, they found themselves in the middle of a media frenzy.

Their plan to become parents was criticised by pro-life groups.

Martin Foley, chief executive of Life, said: "The Act that governs IVF states that a clinic must take into consideration the welfare of the child and quotes a 'father'.

"Research has shown children with a mother and father tend to be happier and more emotionally stable.

"We don't feel these provisions are being applied in this case."

Serena Martin, the niece of Dr Patrick Steptoe, who was born in Witney and pioneered IVF, said her uncle would have been 'horrified' but fascinated by two lesbians having a child.

Mrs Martin, from Woodstock Road, Witney, said: "I think my uncle would have been fascinated by the experimental side of the two women having a child, but as for two women bringing up a child as a couple, that would have gone against the grain."

Alan Wardle, of Stonewall, the lobbying group for gay and lesbian equality, said: "Lesbians have been becoming parents for many years and they should have the option to do that."

Miss Hill declined to comment about the break-up.