GEMMA SIMMS asks three sets of identical twins what it's like living with a mirror image VANESSA and DEBBIE Vanessa and Debbie Marshall were born just 14 minutes apart at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, 28 years ago.

The pair, who live near each other in Didcot, are as close as you would expect identical twins to be.

Vanessa, an administration assistant for South Oxfordshire District Council, said: "Our parents didn't know they were having two of us until a month before we were born.

"We were lying back to back and so there was only one heartbeat. My mum was very shocked at first and they had to go out and buy more clothes and another pram!"

The pair bonded from a young age and were close friends.grew up closely together sharing many fond memories. They are identical - their long, blonde curls frame their pretty faces, revealing exactly the same features.

Vanessa said: "I remember always being together with Debbie at home, school, after school and out with friends. We shared the same bedroom, we were in the same class at school and even in the same netball team. We even had the same set of friends in school."

There is no history of multiple births in the Marshall family but they are so similar teachers used to make them wear name tags at school so they knew who was who. Debbie, who was born first, says they are similar in personality as well as looks.

"We were dressed in the same clothes when we were younger and we wear similar clothes now. There isn't anything that Vanessa owns that I don't really like - in fact we often swap clothes. "We argued sometimes, especially when we both wanted to wear the same things."

"We both have boyfriends and the only time they might mix us up is if we have our backs to them. Vanessa has a birthmark on her forehead, other than that there isn't anything different between us," said Debbie.

The only main difference the girls can think of is Vanessa likes Indian food unlike Debbie, who is also allergic to blackcurrant.

Vanessa added: "We had the same dream once and we often say the same thing at the same time, or ask a question, not knowing the other has just asked the same thing!"

At school they wanted different identities.

"We didn't swap places at school. Even now our relatives often buy us the same presents - this is OK, at least we can't argue about who has the best presents!" said Debbie.

Vanessa added: "We have a different kind of relationship to the one we have with our boyfriends.

"We are very close, but then we would be even if we were not twins." RIMA and RINA Rima and Rina Vadher surprised their poor mother when they were born - she thought she was giving birth to one baby until she went into labour.

And the birth was a matter of life or death for Rima. Her sister Rina said: "Mum went into labour and was told to keep pushing after I was born because there was another one on the way. I came out head first and five minutes later, Rima came out feet first. She was bright blue because there was a lack of oxygen."

The identical twins, of Freelands Road, Oxford, are now 17. Rina is a mirror image of her sister - except for the temporary brace Rima has on her teeth.

Rima said: "Mum and I were both very ill and apparently either she or I would die. I was a little runt, but fortunately we both made it."

The girls like to wear the same clothes when they go out and get on well, apart from the odd argument when they want to wear different things.

Rima said: "I really enjoy being a twin because there is always something to talk about and we tell each other everything. Rina has a boyfriend but that really doesn't bother me because I like being single.""We never think that the other is prettier. Rima is slightly skinnier than me and she says I have a longer face," explained Rina. The twins were separated at school because teachers got confused, although this rarely bothered Rina and Rima."I sometimes used to think, why me? why do I have a twin and why can't I be one person instead of having someone looking just like me? but when we realised we couldn't get rid of each other, we became a lot closer," said Rima.

Now the pair are working for a playscheme at Blackbird Leys adventure playground and want to open a nursery called Double Trouble.

Rima said: "Sometimes we find we are doing exactly the same thing at the same time without realising the other is doing it. We buy the same clothes when out shopping."

Rina said: "I have told my boyfriend I will always put Rima first and that will always be the case. We even want to live together when we move out of home.

"I don't know what will happen when either of us get married but I'm afraid of giving birth in case Rima feels the pain." HAZEL and STEPH Hazel and Steph Evans go on separate shopping trips and come back with exactly the same clothes.

When Hazel, 22, fell off her bike as a child and injured her knee, she felt no pain. But Steph told their mum that her knee hurt and then their mum realised it was poor Hazel who had the injury.

Steph is just two minutes older than her identical twin. Hazel still lives with her parents in Abingdon while Steph lives with her boyfriend in Milton. But they frequently meet up and catch up on news.

Hazel said: "It was fun growing up as identical twins. People were always guessing which one was which. Teachers could never tell the difference but our friends could. Our mum certainly had a few early grey hairs!"

They even had their own language for a while between the ages of one and two years which concerned their mum, according to Hazel, but the doctor had informed her that the twins would grow out of it and they did.

The twins firmly believe they have a sense of Extra Sensory Perception. Once, they returned from separate shopping trips with exactly the same shoes!

Steph said: "I remember growing up as exciting but frustrating. Sometimes you had lots of attention which was nice but it was annoying when you didn't want it." Although they may look identical - and they even sound the same - their personalities are quite different.

Hazel said: "I have always been more outgoing and Steph is quieter. I am also a vegetarian and Steph isn't. But we are both similar in the way our family comes first - we are extremely home-loving.

"When we were toddlers, Steph caught her finger in the cupboard door but it was me who said 'finger hurt'. Then Steph shouted from the kitchen 'finger hurt'!

"When we were at primary school, teachers stuck plasters on our foreheads with our names on." "Steph and I are soul mates in the sense that we can only go so long before there is the need to either see or speak to each other.," Hazel added.

Steph said: "She is my twin, my sister, but above all she is my best friend!" TWIN FACTS

One in every 76 births produces twins

Two thirds of twins are non-identical

There has been more than a 50 per cent increase in twin births. In 1996, 9,726 set of UK twins were born compared with 6,201 in 1982

Triplets used to occur at a rate of one in 10,000 deliveries but this has nearly trebled

Roughly, a third of twins are girl-girl, a third are boy-boy and a third are boy-girl

Families who have had one set of non identical twins have a two-three times greater chance of having a further set of non identical twins than other people.

It is generally non-identical twins who run in families, however there are some families who have identical twins that follow through generations. This is rare and you would know if you belonged to one of these families

Twins are more likely to be delayed in their language development; boys are worse than girls

Up to 40 per cent of twins have a twin language. It doesn't matter as long as they are developing a normal language too.

The average duration of pregnancy with twins is 37 weeks

For information, contact the Multiple Birth Foundation on 0181 383 3519

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