A Chinese couple have named their newborn son after both Saddam Hussein and the Sars virus.

The Wuhan couple have named him Saddam Deng Sars, reports the South China Morning Post, quoting the Wuhan Morning Post.

The father of the child, who is called Deng, said his son was born on the day that war in Iraq broke out.

And, by the time they had brought him home, the Sars virus was on everyone's mind.

At a party to celebrate the birth, at a local hotel, the couple hung a large banner proudly welcoming Saddam Deng Sars to the world.

But they are unsure if officials will allow them to register the name, so they are considering an alternative for the official records.