Cradled side-by-side in their mother’s arms for the first time, premature twin girls Isabella and Heidi Dawson couldn’t have looked more vulnerable.

Born by Caesarean section six weeks early, so fragile and weak that neither cried or uttered a sound on delivery, their survival was far from certain.

Then, at three days old, Isabella’s tiny arm suddenly reached out and gently rested around her weaker sister’s shoulder – their first hug.

Three-day old Isabella Dawson, left, reaches an arm around twin sister Heidi in what is their first embrace

This is the touching moment when parents Ashleigh and Mark Dawson witnessed the incredible bond between their twins.

It is a bond they are convinced was forged in the womb and, after the traumatic emergency delivery, helped Isabella and Heidi not only pull through but thrive.

Even more remarkably, the twins’ recovery was so swift they were discharged from hospital after just under two weeks, instead of the six that doctors had warned the Dawsons to expect.

Today, the identical twins are healthy, bouncing, bonny six-month-olds with beaming smiles. They never stop giggling, reaching out to each other and hugging.

True to type, ‘emotional’ Isabella remains the dominant twin, while ‘laid–back’ Heidi is happy to follow her lead.

But Ashleigh, 33, from Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, says she will never forget that first embrace which gave her hope in her bleakest moments.

‘Watching the girls hug when they were placed side by side in my arms for the first time was incredible.

'It was so touching to see the extraordinary bond between our two girls,’ says Ashleigh, whose daughters were born at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, on June 19 last year.

‘Even in the womb, Isabella was always the protective one, so much so that we named her sister Heidi as she always seemed to “hide” behind her in every scan picture.

'We’re convinced that bond gave both of them the will to survive.’

For the Dawsons, the fact Isabella and Heidi are here at all is a miracle. Married five years ago, the couple were devastated to be told – after years of trying to start a family – there was little or no chance of Ashleigh conceiving naturally.

Ashleigh Dawson, 33, of Cheshire, pictured with her daughters, who were born six weeks early

Refused IVF on the NHS, the marketing manager and her husband Mark, 42, a company director for a property firm, were subsequently offered just a single round of IVF privately, with consultants recommending no more given Ashleigh’s condition.

‘We were given once chance … against all the odds it was successful,’ she says.

‘We had one egg, it split and we were blessed with the news that not only were we expecting but were going to have identical twins. It felt like our family was going to be complete.’

The pregnancy, however, was not plain sailing. Ashleigh had hoped to carry the twins to 37 weeks, but as the girls shared a placenta there was a risk of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

This can result in the placenta being shared unequally, one identical twin receiving more blood than the other, which can be life-threatening.

With scans every two weeks to pick up on any abnormalities, at 24 weeks the couple were given the news they’d been dreading.

‘Isabella seemed to be getting bigger, resulting in Heidi’s growth slowing, both of which were a huge concern as it can lead to a devastating outcome as both twins can be lost,’ recalls Ashleigh.

‘Both Mark and I were scared for our babies. They decided to scan me every week – sometimes more – to make sure neither of our daughters got into any distress.’

The following weeks were filled with anxiety. Ashleigh knew the twins’ survival depended on her being able to keep them in the womb for as long as possible.

She was 33 weeks and six days pregnant when a consultant, after reviewing a scan, told the Dawsons their unborn daughters were under too much stress and had to be delivered the following morning.

‘It was nerve-racking, but we were in excellent hands,’ says Ashleigh.

Heidi, the weaker twin, was delivered first, followed a few minutes later by Isabella. Both weighed 4lb 1oz – a decent weight – but Heidi had to be resuscitated three times.

Neither could feed. Heidi’s respiratory system was very weak and I felt so awful just seeing our babies for a few quick seconds in their incubators before they were whisked away,’ says their mother. ‘It was terrifying.

‘As soon as I came round from surgery, I thought about my girls … Heidi was on oxygen in the high dependency unit while Isabella was in special care, both being tube-fed … My heart was filled with joy and my head with fear as they looked so weak and vulnerable.

‘Straight away Isabella was stronger … Heidi was smaller and hadn’t developed as much. Every time we cuddled them together, the most magical thing happened – they’d turn looking at each other and Isabella would reach out to her sister.

The twin girls were born pemature at Stepping Hill Hospital, pictured, in Stockport

'It was as if she was the protective one, comforting her little sister and letting her know she was there. It was clear they shared a special bond.’

The couple began a ‘baby passport’ diary, part of a scheme to help parents focus on premature babies’ progress.

While Ashleigh stayed at the hospital, Mark would join her at 4pm after work and stay till 10pm, filling in the diary and looking back on ‘precious moments’ achieved with their girls.

Ashleigh says they are ‘so grateful to the amazing nurses and consultants’ and that ‘I had to pinch myself’ when taking the twins home after 12 days.

‘As soon as we put them down together, sure enough Isabella did what she always does. She put her arm around Heidi, and we both knew in that moment that our girls, together, were going to be fine.’