TWIN babies who spent half of the year in hospital battling for their lives are spending the festive period at home with their family.

Louisa and Milla Frobisher, who were born prematurely and have undergone a number of life-saving operations, are now back home in St Peter's, Worcester, and doing well.

Their father Tony and mother Rini, both muslims, do not celebrate Christmas as a religious festival and do not decorate the house, but still consider it to be a special time to spend with family. Tony's mother will be visiting the family for a week to help out and will be cooking a Christmas lunch for them.

Rini's mother recently returned to her home in Indonesia after helping them for six months.

Rini said: "My mum and dad came in May. Life was a lot easier with them. I haven't got family here. She would help with the washing, cleaning and ironing. It's quite a lot to do with two babies - people say having just one is difficult enough. Since they have gone back it is very tiring."

The babies were born 10 weeks before their planned date of delivery by Caesarean section, and spent six months in hospitals in Worcester and Liverpool. Rini, aged 35, had become pregnant with triplets following IVF treatment.

However, her first daughter Jewel, who was born naturally on April 18, didn't survive.

Louisa and Milla were born two-and-a-half hours apart the day after Jewell. Both were diagnosed with retina problems and had to have surgery.

But the twins have continued to grow stronger by the day and Rini said that although they are both still very small and people do not believe they are eight months old they are getting better.

"Louisa has come off her oxygen now but Milla is still on it. It will be down to the consultant to tell us when they will both be off it", she said.