This is the heartwarming moment two premature baby girls, who spent their first seven weeks apart as they battled to survive, were finally reunited.
As soon as twins Lily and Grace Johnstone were placed side by side in the same incubator, they immediately reached out to hold each other’s hands.
They remained snuggled up together for the next two months as they were treated in hospital and have been inseparable ever since.
The pair, born 13 weeks early, weighed just 2lb when they were delivered by emergency caesarean section at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
They are now healthy one-year-olds and their mother Hannah Moore puts their amazing recovery down to their close bond.
She said: “The fact that they held hands in hospital throughout their battle for survival just gave each other strength.
Miss Moore, 20, and her 22-year-old partner David Johnstone, a council maintenance worker, were delighted to discover they were expecting twins.
But at just 26 weeks, Miss Moore was told the twins had moved into position ready to be born.
Both babies had to be put on ventilators so they could breathe, and because Lily had an infection, she had to be separated from her sister and treated with antibiotics.
Miss Moore said it had been an “emotional moment” to watch the twins grab each other’s hands, as it seemed as though they were reassuring each other that they would both be fine.
The twins were finally well enough to go home to Broxburn, West Lothian, last August and have made a complete recovery.
Now the girls spend all their time together, and cry when they are separated even for a moment.
Miss Moore added: ‘They are inseparable.
“They will be best friends for life.”