Anger as gay fathers post pictures of their children on dating site

Barrie Drewitt and Tony Barlow with Saffron, Aspen and Orlando
13 April 2012

Britain's first gay surrogate fathers have provoked concern after posting photographs of their children on an explicit gay dating website.

Millionaires Barrie Drewitt, 39, and Tony Barlow, 42, who fathered twins and a younger child using a surrogate mother in America, appear on the gaydar.co.uk site 'looking for fun' and friendship.

But among the pictures they have placed on their page are images of their children - six-year-old twins Saffron and Aspen, and three-year-old Orlando.

Elsewhere on the gaydar site there are graphic pornographic images of men who are looking for gay partners, or offering escort services for money.

Last night a child protection charity highlighted the dangers of placing photographs of children on such a site.

Michele Elliott, of Kidscape, said: "These men are being very foolish. Whether you are gay, or heterosexual, you should not put children's pictures on the web. This is asking for trouble.

"The children could be targeted as the children of wealthy or famous people. Then there are some disturbed people who could alter the images and use them in a very unpleasant way. They are placing their children at risk. This is a serious child protection issue."

Last night Mr Barlow and Mr Drewitt, who are originally from Manchester, defended their use of the website to meet new friends but did not address the issue of having pictures of their children on the site.

In an e-mail to The Mail on Sunday, they said: "Tony and I are living in Essex now and, unlike the centre of London or Manchester, there are not many gays in the village!

"It (the site) is a great way to make friends but we would warn anyone wanting to meet people that they need to take precautions."

A picture on their web page shows the couple, and the two little boys, at their civil partnership ceremony this year. The lavish affair featured seven female 'man-maids' including Tracie McCune, who donated the eggs to create all three children, plus 250 guests.

Another photograph shows Tony with Saffron titled: "Me and My Girl."

Below the images, under the heading "Types I like', the couple have listed "Firemen, Married Men, Muscle Men and Rugby Players'.

In 1999 the pair became the first same-sex British couple to register as joint parents on a birth certificate.

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