Isabella and Anna Fahey were born three weeks ago from eggs which had been kept in deep freeze storage at the Midlands Fertility Services (MFS) for two years.

Their mother Margaret McNamee's own eggs were fertilised by her partner Michael Fahey's sperm.

An MFS spokeswoman said only about 300 babies have been born worldwide from frozen egg fertility treatment.

'Alternative treatment'

In June 2002 Helen Perry was the first woman in the UK to become pregnant using her own frozen eggs after treatment at the Walsall-based clinic.

Another patient is currently pregnant after frozen egg treatment there.

The twin girls were born after a normal delivery at 38 weeks, weighing 5lb 13oz and 6lb 1oz respectively.

There is no additional risk to the patient or the baby from using frozen eggs, than from using frozen embryos Dr Gillian Lockwood, MFS

Under the technique, patient's ovaries are stimulated with fertility drugs and after a few weeks several eggs may be collected and frozen in liquid nitrogen.

When patients are ready to start a family the frozen oocytes (eggs) are thawed, fertilised with partner or donor sperm and the embryos are transferred into the patient's womb.

Dr Gillian Lockwood, medical director of MFS said the three successful births offer hope to women who need an alternative fertility treatment to freezing embryos.

These include young women undergoing cancer treatments which may damage their future fertility, those who have ethical concerns or women who have not yet met a partner.

"There is no additional risk to the patient or the baby from using frozen eggs, than from using frozen embryos, providing the clinic is experienced with the egg freezing technique," she said.