Middlesbrough conjoined twins celebrate first birthday

Twins Zayne and Zion were separated in an operation lasting six hours

The twin sons of a pastor and his wife who were born conjoined have celebrated their first birthday, 10 months after an operation to separate them.

The "Moses Miracle Twins", as their mum and dad call them, spent months in Great Ormond Street hospital in the lead up to and recovery from surgery.

Christian and Primrose Moses say their faith helped in challenging circumstances

Now home on Teesside with their two older brothers, the twins are thriving.

"It was tough," said Primrose. "I thought I would come home with the twins and then go back for the separation surgery, but the doctors said the boys needed to grow a little.

"When we realised their hearts needed a little more attention, I had to stay in the hospital with them.

"It was a hard journey because all my babies are so little, even the older brothers."

The twins were delivered by C section at University College Hospital in London

Zayne and Zion were born at University College Hospital in London in April last year.

The twins were joined at the breast bone and abdominal wall, sharing a liver and some blood vessels and muscles.

They were also born with congenital heart defects.

Omphalopagus twins are rare, representing about one in every 250,000 live births in the UK.

The twins and their mum stayed in London from birth while dad Christian travelled to the capital while looking after the couple's older boys, six-year old Joshua and Jonathan who is four, at home in Middlesbrough.

Primrose and Christian say their faith helped them through the tough days while the twins were in hospital

The couple, who met while studying at Teesside University, share a strong Christian faith.

Christian, an NHS project manager who founded Pillar ministries International said: "It was very, very challenging.

"I remember one time Primrose called me and said 'I'm so exhausted, I'm so tired, I need help' and I was trying to help in London while looking after the boys in Middlesbrough and working in Newcastle.

"But I knew I didn't have the strength to drive to go and see her so I held on to the strength God was giving me and support from friends."

The family believe the twins will always have a "special bond" due to their time conjoined

The boys were separated in an operation lasting six hours at Great Ormond Street Hospital in June 2023, under the care of paediatric consultant Joseph Curry.

The family described the support and care given by the hospital as "amazing".

"We were well looked after right from the start," said Primrose.

"The nurses and the consultant gave us assurances that everything was going to be fine, they talked everything through and everyone was so supportive."

The couple say they believe the twins will always have an unbreakable bond.

"If you leave one without the other, they will start crying," Christian said.

"They are so close and they've been together for such a long time, so their bond is so more special than if they had not been conjoined."

Primose added: "They are thriving, crawling, saying 'dada', not 'mama', and meeting their milestones."