FRANCESCA Lambert looks on proudly as her twin sons, Joe and Eric, play on the living room floor of her terraced house in Freemantle, Southampton.

Joe is intent on creating mischief by bashing the television screen with one of his building blocks, while the quieter of the two, Eric, draws pictures on his Etch-a-Sketch.

Every so often he looks up and laughs at the activities of his boisterous, show-off twin.

Joe and Eric are normal two-and-a-half-year-old toddlers in every way, except one - they both have Down's syndrome.

The twins were born ten days early and to start with no one realised the boys had Down's syndrome.

"The day after they were born, the registrar came up to do the normal post-birth checks," recalls Francesca.

"She was concerned because Eric seemed 'floppy'. Later, when the consultant asked to see me together with their father, Martin, I knew something was seriously wrong.

"Conditions such as cerebral palsy ran through my head. But I told myself that whatever it was it didn't matter because they were so beautiful.

"When we were told they had Down's syndrome, everything dropped into place - the small ears, the wrinkly feet, their rounded faces.

"I immediately rushed over to Joe and turned his hand over - there was just a single crease on one of his palms.

"This is one of the indicators of Down's syndrome. The shock was phenomenal and was probably the worst of my life.

"The disability didn't worry me that much, it was all the rubbish that surrounded it - the health professionals, the education system and other people's attitudes.

"I'd been through it all before with Sean, who has a mild form of autism.

"However, I looked at Eric and Joe and swore to them that I would do everything in my power to help them have a happy, safe life and get them educated so they could do all those things that a parent wants for their children.

"Telling people was the hardest part, as my friends and family didn't know what to do or say.

"I just told them that Eric and Joe were just babies, and were special, and that they were still to visit with cards, presents and congratulations.

"I was proud of my boys and wanted to show them off to the world."

Last September, Francesca split from the boys' father. But it was not unexpected.

"We had been together for ten years and he is Amber's father too. But I knew that the unplanned pregnancy would be the end of the relationship.

"At the time when I fell pregnant our relationship was rocky so it was no surprise when he left me for another woman.

"But I do know that he didn't leave us because of the twin's disability as he is still a good father to them.

"I didn't tell Sean and Amber about the twins having Down's at first. When I told Sean the first thing he said was 'are they going to die?'

"I explained that they will be able to do everything that other children can but they will learn how to do it slower.

"After I reassured him, he was fine. Amber accepted the twins and their disability straight away.

"Children don't have any of the preconceptions that adults have. They don't see the disability, they see the child."

Francesca also helps to co-ordinate a voluntary group for parents with Down's children called Ups and Downs. The group meets at Hardmoor Early Years Centre in Bassett and it is an opportunity for the parents to get together and share experiences. The children can also play together and it helps make the experience of having a child with Down's not so isolating.

To find out more about Ups and Downs, please call Francesca on 023 8023 0464 or email: ericandjoe@msn.com