Couple defy odds with second pair of black and white twins

Couple defy odds with second pair of black and white twins

A couple who took doctors by surprise seven years ago by having one black twin daughter and one white have defied "million-to-one" odds by doing it again.

By John Bingham
Last Updated: 11:21AM GMT 31 Dec 2008

When Dean Durrant, 33, and Alison Spooner, 27, of Fleet, Hampshire, were told they would be having twins in 2001 they imagined that they would look similar even if they knew they would not be identical.

But when they arrived one, Lauren, proved to take after her mother with blue eyes and red hair while her sister Hayleigh resembles her father who is of West Indian origin.

Friends were stunned last month when Alison gave birth to another set of twin daughters each of a different skin colour.

This time baby Miya has her father's darker skin and Leah is white like her mother.

"We didn't think it was even possible when we had Lauren and Hayleigh - and it didn't cross our minds that it could happen again," said Mr Durrant.

"But we are just delighted that it has."

He told The Sun: "The odds must be a million to one."

Miss Spooner added: "I was shocked when I first found out I was pregnant with twins again - but I never thought for one second they would turn out the same as last time."

When the couple announced earlier this year that they were having another pair of twins, friends placed bets on the same happening again - but few believed it would actually happen.

It was not immediately obvious as the girls were initially taken to a special care unit and kept in separate cots because of breathing difficulties after they were delivered three weeks early last month.

"It wasn't until about five days after they were born that we saw them side by side for the first time," Miss Spooner said.

"And when they were together it was clear that one was darker than the other. It was unbelievable."

"Now the girls are back home with us and are very healthy.

"Lauren and Hayleigh think the new arrivals are fantastic."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4043735/Couple-defy-odds-with-second-pair-of-black-and-white-twins.html