Twins' operation on hold

The ruling to operate was made by Mr Justice Johnson

Surgeons in Manchester say they will not perform an operation to separate siamese twins until the legal position is made clear.

In a landmark ruling on Friday, a High Court judge gave them permission to separate the twins - who are joined by their lower abdomens - against their parents' wishes.

The official solicitor needs to take time to decide whether to seek the permission of the court of appeal to take matters further

Jim Baker, Deputy official solicitor

The parents of the twin girls, who come from a remote community in Eastern Europe, had objected to the operation on the grounds that it will mean the death of one of their babies.

The official solicitor - who represents minors or adults under legal disability in court proceedings in England and Wales - is expected to reveal next week whether he will appeal against the judge's decision.

In a statement released on Friday night, deputy official solicitor Jim Baker, representing the twin who would die, said they were considering an appeal.

"This is a tragic and complex case," he said.

"Mindful of the feelings of the parents in particular, and of the anxiety of the doctors in relation to the health of both girls, the official solicitor has concluded that he needs to take time to decide whether to seek the permission of the court of appeal to take matters further."

Shared heart and lungs

The twin girls, Jodie and Mary - false names used by the judge to preserve their anonymity - were born on 8 August at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester.

The girls share one heart and one pair of lungs. If the operation goes ahead to separate them, Mary will die.

The girls are being treated at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester

In the first ruling of its kind in the UK, Mr Justice Johnson said he made his decision to approve the operation on the grounds that if the girls were not separated, both would die within months.

This is because Jodie's heart and lungs will not be able to take the strain of supporting her sister's body.

But in their submission to the court, the girls' parents said they could not contemplate the death of one of their babies.

"We cannot begin to accept or contemplate that one of our children should die to enable the other one to survive. That is not God's will.

Why should we kill one of our daughters to enable the other one to survive?

Father and mother of the twins

"Everyone has the right to life, so why should we kill one of our daughters to enable the other one to survive?"

The judge said of the twins: "Jodie is a bright, alert baby, sparkling, sucking on her dummy, moving her arms as babies do and, in the words of one of the doctors, 'Very much a with-it sort of baby'."

"For Mary, things are very different. Her face is deformed but more importantly she has no effective heart or lung function.

"She lives only because of her physical attachment to Jodie. In the words of one of the doctors, Jodie is her life support machine."