WHEN Karin Lyder saw the faces of her newly born twins for the first time she knew they were 'her' babies - even though she had not given birth to them.

The 42-year-old and her husband Andy, 49, from Williton, had used a surrogate mother to give them the family they so desperately wanted.

"The bond with them was immediate," said Karin, whose hopes of getting pregnant had been dashed forever when gynaecological problems resulted in her undergoing a hysterectomy in November 2011.

"As soon as I saw their little faces, I knew they were my babies, absolutely."

And as Isabella and Zacharias prepare to celebrate their first birthday next Friday (August 9), their parents continue to marvel at the incredible gift that a local woman gave them.

"It is such a miracle," said Karin.

"In the space of a year we went from not being able to have children to coming home from the hospital with two," said Karin.

Their gratitude to the surrogate mother, Sunny Richards, is almost beyond description.

"What she has done for us is unbelievable," said Andy, who works at Williton Social Club and formerly ran a local café with Karin.

"I can't explain what it means to us - it's a massive thing and now our lives are complete."

The surrogacy was arranged privately, which is legal in England providing the surrogate mother does not receive any payment, other than to cover her costs.

Karin and Andy, who moved to Williton from London in 2007, had been trying to have a family since they married three years earlier.

"We'd looked at everything from IVF to fostering, adoption and surrogacy," said Andy.

"But Karin was becoming increasingly ill and we knew even before she had the hysterectomy that the options available to us were reducing."

However, a chance conversation led to the woman who finally carried the twins offering to become a surrogate mother for the couple.

Sunny, a 37-year-old mother of three who also has an adopted son and 18-month-old granddaughter, knew she did not want any more children of her own.

"I knew about Andy and Karin's situation and it was my decision to help them," she said.

"I wouldn't have done it for just anyone but I knew what amazing and special people they were and what amazing parents they would make.

"I never had any emotional attachment to the babies throughout the pregnancy and when they were born, I didn't feel any bond.

"They were always Andy and Karin's - I was just at the creation of someone else's family."

Sunny discovered she was pregnant within a few months of agreeing to the surrogacy and Karin and Andy's delight was doubled when they discovered it was twins.

Karin, who is Swedish, and Andy were involved throughout the pregnancy and were there at the birth.

The twins came into the world six weeks prematurely after a 14-hour labour, with Zacharias the first to arrive weighing 4lbs 12oz, followed by Isabella at 4lbs 9oz.

"It was very emotional and everyone seemed to be crying," said Andy.

The twins were treated in the special care baby unit at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton for three weeks before they were finally allowed home.

"It was all a bit of a blur," said Andy.

Karin was with them for the final week in hospital, with Sunny returning home to her family immediately after the birth.

A parental order was granted to Karin and Andy by a judge six weeks after the twins came home, following the close involvement of social workers.

Sunny has since moved out of the West Somerset area, although she is still in contact with the family.

Karin is determined that they will know about the part she played in their lives, although Andy would prefer them not to know.

"However, I can see Karin's point of view and I certainly wouldn't want to lie to them," said Andy.

"The twins have brought us a lot of sleepless nights but a huge amount of pleasure.

"They are just brilliant. When I look at them I just feel this overwhelming love. It's indescribable."

And one year on, the couple are planning a fundraising event in aid of the special care baby unit.

They hope to raise at least £1,300 to buy two baby apnoea monitors with a fun-day at Williton Social Club.

The all-day event on August 17 will feature stalls, games, a children's disco, facepainting, raffle, skittles and will hopefully be followed by a 50/50 auction a week later.

Anybody wanting to have a stall or make a donation to the raffle can contact Karin and Andy on 07552753455 or email [email protected]">[email protected].

Alternatively, the couple have set up an internet link to boost the fundraising and donations can be made at http://www.justgiving.com/Zac-Isabella">www.justgiving.com/Zac-Isabella.

Photo: Steve Guscott