A Scots cancer patient has become the first woman in the UK to give birth using her frozen ovarian tissue.

The 33-year-old woman from Edinburgh had a section of her ovary removed 11 years ago after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

After chemotherapy treatment, doctors reimplanted the tissue last year in the hope of restoring the woman's fertility.

Earlier this month the patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave birth to a healthy baby boy following the procedure.

Edinburgh University, which led the work, has welcomed the new mother's success.

In a statement released by the university, she said: "When I had the initial procedure to remove my ovarian tissue, it was very new and experimental.

"There was no guarantee that it would work and while I kept the possibility in the back of my mind, my husband and I never pinned our hopes on it being successful.

"I'm incredibly appreciative of my oncologist's foresight in sending me for the consultation with the fertility team.

"I had one small surgical procedure before I began my second round of chemotherapy and now, ten years on, my husband and I have been able to have a family.

"We never thought it would be possible and we are just astonished and overjoyed. We are extremely grateful to all the people involved in this process."

She added: "When you're going through cancer treatment it can be hard to think about the future but I do think this will offer hope to others that they could one day have a family."

The university said it hopes the milestone will help young people with cancer and other diseases whose treatment threatens their fertility.

Professor Richard Anderson, chairman of clinical reproductive science at the centre for reproductive health, said: "The storage of ovarian tissue to allow restoration of fertility after cancer treatment in girls and young women was pioneered in Edinburgh over 20 years ago, and it is wonderful to see it come to fruition.

"This gives real hope to girls and young women facing treatment that may cause them to become infertile, and shows how some medical advances can take a long time to show their benefits.

"It comes at a time when NHS services for fertility preservation are developing across the UK, and we hope it will be the impetus to provide that to all who are in need."

The new service is open to NHS patients and the research was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Children with Cancer, the European Union and the Medical Research Council.