A SOUTHEND couple will be celebrating their first Christmas at home with their twins who were born 16 weeks early.

Ruby and Liam Price will celebrate their first worry free season with twins Lola and Leighton this year, as 12 months ago they were still travelling back and forth from The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge after the twins were born after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Mrs Price said: “It felt like at any moment the rug was going to be pulled from under our feet, scared that at any moment one of our twins would be rushed back to hospital.

“All I remember is waking up two hours after giving birth, disorientated and panicked, and putting my hand on my stomach, which felt far too flat.

"Before I could recall what had happened I looked to the side of the bed and saw Liam slumped beside me with his face in his hands.

"It was at that point the terrifying reality that I had already given birth came flooding back.

“When I saw my babies for the first time I burst into tears. I couldn’t cope. Their skin was translucent and they were both in sandwich bags to keep them warm, ventilated, and, as the doctors told us, unlikely to survive.”

During the twins’ treatment, Mr and Mrs Price were put up by the Sick Children’s Trust at Chestnut House. Thankfully, both twins pulled through their ordeal and were transferred to Southend Hospital after three months.

Mrs Price added: “Our Christmas will be filled with love, laughter and two very cheeky twins, but we will also spare a thought for all those families with seriously ill children in hospital.”