Rescued twins fight for life

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

An emergency rescue operation was launched when the mother went into labour early on Sunday night and was taken to the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway, in the Outer Hebrides.

Severe weather conditions made it too dangerous for an air ambulance to transfer the babies to one of Scotland's leading maternity hospitals in Glasgow, so military aircraft were scrambled.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter carrying medical staff and incubators flew from Prestwick to Stornoway to help stabilise the twins, the RAF said.

A Hercules was then scrambled from a base at Lyneham, Wiltshire, shortly before 1am, carrying a crew of four, plus two RAF medics. It landed at Stornoway on Lewis around an hour and a half later. The plane set off for Glasgow at 5.40am with the twins in incubators, accompanied by medical staff. The flight took around 40 minutes.

An ambulance spokesman said the condition of the twins was thought to be "very poor".

He said consultants from Glasgow's Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, who had flown out to Stornoway and travelled with the twins, had done "as much as they could to keep them alive" during the flight.

The plane touched down at Glasgow Airport at around 6.30am and the infants were then transferred to the Princess Royal, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) said.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it could not comment on the condition of the twins.

The mother did not accompany the babies on the flight and is in a stable condition at the Western Isles Hospital. She is expected to be transferred to Glasgow later in an air ambulance.