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Sir Elton John will not give up on Lev, the baby boy in the Ukraine who has left him smitten.

John and civil spouse David Furnish have had their initial hopes to adopt 17-month-old Lev, who they met in an orphanage, dashed. But the pair has redoubled its vow to keep fighting for the child.

Ukrainian authorities ruled John was too old to adopt. The country does not recognise gay couple adoption, either.

Sir Elton, who has recently suffered illness and the loss of his friend Stephen Gately, said: “He has stolen my heart and he has stolen David’s heart. I would love to adopt him.”

But the Ukraine government refused their adoption application – at 62, Elton was too old under their rules, and their civil partnership wasn’t recognised.

Sir Elton and Furnish, 47, have promised financial support to Lev and his brother Artyom that covers schooling, health care and finding them a new home. Furnish said: “We are going to find a home for those boys in the Ukraine. We will get them a home as it would be a long uphill battle to bring them over here.”