Shocked Carly Coleman amazed her family and doctors when she gave birth to twins just hours after finding out she was pregnant.

The 20-year-old, from Hailsham, was rushed to hospital when her waters broke and stunned medics delivered the two surprise babies.

Doctors performed a Caesarean section after a scan showed she was pregnant but were amazed when they spotted another baby tucked up behind Carly's ribs.

The surgeon was just about to stitch up the incision when he noticed the twin.

Lilly-Ella was born first at 4.18am last Thursday, weighing 5lb 2oz, closely followed by Harry, who arrived at 4.20am weighing 4lb 9oz.

Carly, who already has an 11-month-old son called Louis, experienced no symptoms of pregnancy and did not look pregnant because the twins grew at the top of her womb behind the ribcage.

The drama started when Carly's waters broke just after midnight on Wednesday but she did not realise what was wrong with her.

Her mother rushed her to Eastbourne District General Hospital, leaving Carly's partner, Paul Sexton, 25, at home with baby Louis.

Miss Coleman said: "I didn't have any symptoms at all. I didn't even feel them move.

"I knew I'd put on a bit of weight but I just thought I was getting fatter. Everything else was so normal.

"When I went to hospital they gave me a pregnancy test just to rule out what could be wrong.

"I never thought for a minute I would be pregnant. When they said it was positive I just burst into tears.

"They did a scan and only found one baby because Harry was tucked right under my ribs. But during the operation, after Lilly-Ella was born, the doctor said he could feel something.

"He was poking me near my arm and said, 'there's definitely something there'. But I just said, 'no there isn't, that's my arm'. Then he found Harry. My dad was there and we just looked at each other.

"When dad came waltzing out with both of them in his arms, my mum started crying. It all happened so quickly, it's such a shock but it's sinking in slowly.

"The doctors and staff at the hospital have been amazing. I think they were as shocked as we were."

Doctors told the couple the babies were about 36 weeks when they were born.

Little Harry is being cared for in the special baby unit until he is stronger.

Mr Sexton, a plumber, said: "When Carly went off to hospital I never thought in my wildest dreams she could be pregnant.

"I couldn't believe it when her mum called me and said she was going to have a baby.

"Then I got a phone call to say it was twins. It's unbelievable. Eleven months ago we didn't have any children. Now we have three under one roof.

"She didn't have any symptoms. She was still riding her bike and swimming and carrying Louis around last week. It's remarkable nothing forced things to happen sooner.

"There are twins in both sets of family, although Carly didn't realise her family had twins until now. We are really over the moon, although we were pretty shocked. We are still getting used to the idea."