First birthday joy for miracle twin sisters

GOTTA lotta bottle . . . twins Lilly (left) and Millie with mum Lauren

MIRACLE twin sisters have celebrated their first birthday after they were born two-and-a-half months premature.

Twins Lilly and Millie Worrall weighed in at just 2lbs 7oz each when they were born at the Royal Oldham Hospital at 29 weeks.

They were immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where they spent the next eight weeks.

Grandfather George Woodcock said: "Lauren started in labour very early with the twins because they were far too early.

"When they were born they weighed the same as a bag of sugar.

"There was a special team at the time of delivery who monitored everything. They were brilliant."

When the twins returned to their Shaw home they weighed just under 4lb, said Lauren's mum, grandma Libby Woodcock.

But the family experienced further complications when Lilly developed bronchiolitis and had to be rushed into the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester where she was incubated because her lungs were full of infection.

Just two days later, Millie was rushed into the High Dependency Unit at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

At the time, mum Lauren Flight was staying at St Mary's while partner Matthew Worrall was at the Royal Oldham.

Care

Libby added: "For the first week it was absolutely horrendous, travelling between two hospitals.

"Lilly was then transferred to Oldham and the twins remained there for a week.

"All the family pulled through to support them. We could not fault the care and work carried out by paediatric and the Neonatal ICU at the Royal Oldham and NICU at St Mary's."

The beautiful pair are now fighting fit and meeting all of their milestones, with one just beginning the weaning process and both starting to crawl.

"They have gone from strength to strength," said Libby. "They are like greased lightning on the floor!"

The twins were spoilt with a big birthday bash attended by some 35 family members on Friday.

Birthday banners and balloons were used to adorn the inside and outside of Lauren's home for the joyous event which was topped off with party hats and cake.