Surviving twin Faith still clings on to life

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The eight-day-old baby is in intensive care at Great Ormond Street hospital following surgery to separate her from twin Hope, who died on Tuesday.

Doctors have given her a 50 per cent chance of survival and say she could need at least two further operations.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said: "Faith Williams is a very sick little girl. Great Ormond Street Hospital is doing everything it can for her, and we continue to offer her the highest possible levels of care."

Faith and Hope, who were born last Wednesday, underwent an emergency 11-hour separation operation on Tuesday after their condition deteriorated.

Doctors said Faith's lungs had somehow been supporting Hope, and when they were separated Hope's own lungs couldn't cope and she died.

Doctors continued operating on Faith after her sister died. Faith will need another operation "to close her tummy" and may also need further heart surgery, doctors said.

Speaking about Faith's condition, Professor Agostino Pierro, who led the surgical team, said: "There will be at least one other operation needed to close her tummy. Then Faith may need further surgery for her heart. I think the next few days will be particularly important, I would say she is 50-50."

The twins' parents, Laura and Aled Williams, who also have an 18-month-old daughter, remain at Great Ormond Street with Faith. Doctors originally wanted to wait until the twins were older and stronger before separating them but were forced to act because of the blockage. Professor Pierro said that Hope would probably not have survived even if the operation was carried out later.

Mrs Williams, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, made medical history by becoming the world's youngest mother of conjoined twins at the age of 18. She and her husband had been advised by doctors to have an abortion but they refused.