A Shankill Road family is overjoyed having welcomed twin girls into the world following their mother's serious brush with death.

In April, Danielle Martin, from the Shankill Road, in Belfast, was diagnosed with COVID-19. Her illness left her in Intensive Care and eventually in an induced coma. 

While she was in a coma her doctors discovered the 32-year-old  mother of three was pregnant with twins. 

Her partner Bryan told Belfast Live just how ill Danielle had been with COVID-19. He said at one point they were told the twins would not survive. 

“Danielle took very ill in our home, she couldn’t breathe and became very weak and was getting worse so we needed to get an ambulance who then arrived within five minutes," he said.

“They carried out some tests and then said that they had to get Danielle to hospital. When they took her out to the ambulance our three sons watched from the window, it was absolutely heartbreaking.

“Later that night Danielle rang me and could barely speak on the phone. She said they had done scans on her chest and said she had severe pneumonia. This was about 9 pm then I didn't hear from her so the next morning I rang the hospital and got speaking with the doctor and he told me Danielle’s oxygen levels dropped rapidly and that they needed to get her to theatre to put her into an induced coma.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was devastated. The boys were constantly asking where their Mummy was and kept going to the window to look for her, I had to put on a brave face and say ‘Mummy is just away a wee drive in the ambulance’ but then days started going on and they knew she wasn’t coming back."

Once Danielle was out of the coma, she got the surprise of her life when she was told she was pregnant with twins. 

Ava and Amelia Martin were born in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Byran added "What an experience and what a mad year our family has had.

"From Danielle contracting COVID-19 and having to be put in a coma and ventilated for 10 days. Then being told our little baby that was in Danielle's tummy at only 10 weeks would not survive and it would be a miracle if it did.

"They are here now. Our two little princesses Ava and Amelia. They are doing absolutely amazing.

"Danielle is also doing fantastic, she deserves a medal. This is the best feeling in the world."