A mother has become the first in Britain to freeze tissue from the umbilical cord of her newborn baby as health insurance against future problems.

Paula and Peter Aspinall from Cheshire paid £2,000 to have tissue and blood from their son Daniel's umbilical cord frozen in case they, or their three-year-old daughter Megan, become sick.

More than 11,000 parents have already paid to freeze cord-blood stem cells but the tissue is said to have even greater disease-fighting potential.

The Apinalls are thought to be the first in Britain to sign up for the tissue freezing procedure.

Cells from cord blood and tissue are so valuable because of the stem cells, which are the body's 'building blocks', that they contain.

Cells from cord blood are already being used in place of bone marrow transplants to treat 85 different blood and immune diseases, including cancers.

And, according to research, cells from cord tissue could help repair damaged bone, cartilage, tendons and muscles and combat chronic inflammation.

In baby Daniel's case the tissue and blood was collected directly after his birth at the Private Birth Centre in Northwich.

It is currently being cryogenically preserved at Nottingham-based Future Health Technologies Ltd.

The stored cells will be a perfect match for Daniel but experts say it should also be a close match for sister Megan and could also be able to be used for his parents.

Paula, 34, who works as an office manager at the Private Birth Centre, said: "I think it is a waste that the cord is routinely thrown away … the umbilical cord helps give life right from the start so why not make it a potential life-saver for the future?"

MUST CREDIT PHOTOS BY: Andrew Price / Rex Features