I have spoken to a specialist child care lawyer and we will be making an application to the courts, basically to cancel this order as soon as possible

Alan Kilshaw

Social workers from the council and police officers removed the children from Beaufort Park Hotel in Mold, North Wales, where the Kilshaws were staying, on Thursday night.

The emergency care order imposed by the council gives the authorities 72 hours to decide what to do next.

The Kilshaws will consult with a child care lawyer on Friday before making an application for a court review of that order.

Meanwhile a senior judge in the American state of Arkansas - where the adoption of the twins was approved - has cast doubt on whether the US decision is valid.

In an exclusive interview, Judge Ellen Brantley told BBC Radio 5Live that the babies' natural mother could face legal action if it turned out that she had lied in court about the time she had lived in the state.

She also revealed she had been contacted by officials from North Wales social services.

It would appear in this case that there are a number of villans and thus far no heroes

Judge Ellen Brantley

There have been reports in the British press that Tranda Wecker had not been resident in Arkansas for the 30 days required for an adoption to take place.

If it was proven that she lied under oath, Judge Brantley said, Ms Wecker could be charged with perjury.

She added: "It would appear in this case that there are a number of villans and thus far no heroes.

"I think the courts in Arkansas will take appropriate action if some kind of proceeding is instigated - and it seems to me that's likely but not absolutely certain."

Social workers took the twins just before 2200GMT on Thursday, hours after the babies' natural mother said she wants her daughters back.

Social workers prepare to take twins

Detective Inspector Nick Crabtree, of North Wales Police, said: "An emergency protection order granted under the Children Act 1989, was served on Mr and Mrs Kilshaw."

Asked if the Kilshaws had resisted, Mr Crabtree replied: "There was no trouble. It was a very difficult situation for them."

Alan Kilshaw said later on ITV's Tonight With Trevor McDonald programme that he and his wife were taking action to challenge the order.

Belinda and Kimberley are safe and well and are now in the care of social services

Detective Inspector Nick Crabtree

He said: "I have spoken to a specialist child care lawyer and we will be making an application to the courts, basically to cancel this order as soon as possible."

Speaking to BBC News 24, Mr Kilshaw said he had been told by social services workers that the twins were being placed in temporary foster care.

Asked whether he hoped to see them again, he said: "I think we will because I'm confident we will be successful in mounting a challenge.

"It certainly can't be in the children's interests for them to be placed in foster care.

'No ill treatment'

"There is no evidence these children were ill-treated. I will be speaking with my solicitor and she will then actually be taking steps for an application to the court for a review of this order - the court will be asked to reconsider it, putting before it our evidence."

The Kilshaws have vowed to keep the babies

Mrs Kilshaw described the traumatic events of Thursday night and said she felt her twins had been "snatched" from her.

She said: "I thought if there was a problem it would be dealt with sensitively. It was a bit like creeping in at the dead of night. They have snatched the children."

The international controversy surrounding the adoption erupted when Vickie and Richard Allen, from California, said they had agreed to pay an internet baby broker $6,000 (�4,000) for the same twins.

The twins departure caused a media scrum

But they say the babies were taken from them and given to the Kilshaws as they were finalising the deal.

Ms Wecker told CBS that she only learned after handing over the children that the Kilshaws, and another set of hopeful parents, had both paid more than $12,000 (�8,000) into the account of the woman who arranged the adoption.

The Kilshaws, who paid �24,000, deny claims by the babies' mother that they knew about the first "adoption".