Elton John's dream of playing parent to a Ukrainian baby boy has been dealt a blow - the country's government forbids gay couples from adopting.

John and his partner David Furnish are desperate to take 14-month-old tot Lev back to England after meeting him during a visit to an orphanage in Makeeva, Ukraine.

However, the couple will need the country's president, Viktor Yushchenko, to grant special dispensation to fulfill their dream of adopting Lev. John, 62, and Furnish, 46, are also facing a separate legal battle as Ukrainian law prohibits prospective parents aged over 45 years.

Even if the rules are bent for the Rocket Man, he will also have to adopt Lev's brother - as official guidelines state siblings must be kept together.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)