Mother reveals conjoined twins' touching secret on the Late Late

Little Hussein and Hassan made an appearance on the Late Late Show last night when their mum Angie Benhaffaf told of her relief to learn that they had separate hearts following a scan.

It was feared that the boys shared a heart and other vital organs but a scan showed the boys had their own hearts.

"We got the wonderful news that they had a heart each. I couldn't believe it, it was like a darkness had lifted," she said.

The next scan the Benhaffafs got revealed a tender image that they said they would never forget.

Angie said: "At 24 weeks on, the scan showed they were holding hands, their fingers were actually clasped together."

Host Ryan Tubridy was given the honour of holding the twins, and was clearly moved, describing it as "a wonderful moment".

miracle

The twins were eight weeks old on Wednesday and now weigh a healthy seven pounds each, despite being born six weeks prematurely.

"I'll never forget holding them -- it was like holding a miracle," Angie said about their birth.

Angie and her husband Azzedine spoke about their hopes for the future and joked that their two little lads from Cork were "going to give Jedward a run for their money one of these days".

Also there last night were the couple's little girls, Malika (4) and Iman (2).

The couple have already told how they have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and best wishes for their boys, as well as the support and kindness offered by the medical teams, both in Ireland and Britain.

The boys were born in mid-December in London's University College Hospital after Angie was transferred to Britain for her delivery.

The surgery to separate them will take place at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London later this year.

Hassan and Hussein are the first conjoined twins born to an Irish mother since 2005.

fdillon@herald.ie