Twins born in hospitals 40 miles apart

Parents of twin boys told today how their babies survived being born two days apart in different counties - with the help of three NHS hospitals.

Brothers Seth and Preston Campbell defied million-to-one odds to survive.

Their mother, Donna Grove, 27, gave birth to Seth at just 28 weeks at Frimley Park Hospital in Camberley, Surrey, on April 13.

He weighed 2lb 6oz, was not breathing and developed a life-threatening intestine infection, blood poisoning and a heart murmur.

He was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington 40 miles away and Ms Grove, still in labour, joined him the following evening.

Preston, who was in a separate womb sac, was born at St Mary's 50 hours after his brother weighing 2lb 12oz. Shortly afterwards, Ms Grove went into cardiac arrest after fluid from the womb sac infected her bloodstream.

The boys' father, painter and decorator James Campbell, 26, proposed to Ms Grove as she recovered from her traumatic labour. Seth's condition worsened and he was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

The family are now back home in Bracknell.

Mr Campbell told The Sun: "The evening after the second birth was a dark, dark time. I feared I was going to lose them all."

Ms Grove added: "I feel blessed. We are all really lucky to be here."