A RECORD-setting pair of twins are 'thriving' one year after staff at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital saved their lives.

Jenson and Ruben Powell arrived at just 22 weeks and six days during a family holiday in Cornwall on August 17 last year.

The Royal Cornwall hospital could not provide the Level 3 neonatal care needed to treat the babies, so parents Jennie and Rich were flown to Oxford - the closest available unit.

The twins were delivered by emergency c-section and have become the youngest surviving pre-term boys born in Britain.

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Their father said: “The standard of care we received was outstanding.

"The boys had it all – infections, more than 20 blood transfusions, sepsis, pneumonia, eye injections and laser surgery, hernia reversal you name it. The team at John Radcliffe were on top of everything.”

He added: “Today, the boys are thriving. They will continue to have chronic lung disease until they are about three, which can make them more vulnerable to colds and infections, requiring oxygen support but otherwise they are doing really well.

"We sometimes have to stop and remind ourselves of all they’ve been through, because it’s so different today."

Two years earlier, another son, Linnie, had lost his fight for survival after he was born at just 23 weeks and four days.

Their parents have since joined up with Oxford charity SSNAP to support the John Radcliffe's neo natal unit. Click

here

to donate.