Conjoined twins die in hospital

Natasha and Courtney Smith, the conjoined twins born nearly three weeks ago, died in hospital today, doctors treating them said.

The babies had been joined at the chest and heart and were only given a small chance of survival by doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Parents Tina May, 23, and Dennis Smith, 33, from Hertfordshire, England, were at their daughters' bedside when they suffered a relapse and died at 5.50pm.

The babies were born at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in the capital on April 29.

Professor Lewis Spitz, professor of paediatric surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: "We offer our sincere condolences to their parents during this extremely sad and difficult time.

"These unhappy events are broadly as we expected. The structure of, and the blood supply to, the twins' heart was so complex and abnormal that separation was not considered possible.

"The staff involved in their care at GOSH did everything possible to make their short lives as comfortable as possible."