HOME sweet home!

Theresa and Jason Gardiner of Southampton have finally brought their baby twins home, after having been separated from them by 70 miles for nearly two weeks.

Former nursery nurse Theresa was forced to give birth to her two boys at a hospital in Swindon, Wiltshire, because there was no room at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, as previously reported in the Daily Echo.

A week later, little Kai and Jamie were born six weeks early but forced to remain at The Great Western Hospital because there were no special care baby cots available in Southampton.

The couple has spent nearly a fortnight making the 140-mile round trip to see the boys, relying on lifts from family and friends as neither are able to drive.

Now Jason, 28, and Theresa, 27, who also have a four-year-old daughter called Parris, said they are delighted their misery has finally come to an end.

"It's lovely having them at home," said Theresa.

"It's really nice after spending such a long time away from them.

"It's great that we can all be together again. I'm very relieved it is all over.

"The twins no longer need to be fed by a tube and are feeding well."

The couple are now looking forward to spending some quality time together in the comfort of their home in Beech Road, Freemantle. Jason, who works for Ordnance Survey, has two weeks' paternity leave.

Five days ago the twins were transferred slightly closer to home, with two special baby care beds becoming available at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, which is responsible for The Princess Anne Hospital, is currently expanding its neonatal unit as part of a £1.4m project.

Hospital bosses hope this will mean fewer mums will have to be turned away, as the refurbished unit will have an extra eight intensive care cots. This will mean a total number of 36 special care baby cots.