Sextuplets born in Newcastle

The Waltons are the UK's best known sextuplets

A woman from the north of England has given birth to six babies - but one has already died in hospital.

The babies were delivered at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on Thursday August 9.

They were delivered prematurely by Caesarean section, and five - two boys and three girls - are said to be stable in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

However, a fourth girl died on Saturday due to complications associated with the premature birth - which happened only 28 weeks into the pregnancy.

The babies had birth weights ranging from 340g (almost 12oz) to 1,040g (just over 2lb), and the tiniest baby died.

A spokesman for the Royal Victoria Infirmary said the surviving babies were making progress on the intensive care unit.

She added: "It is a specific wish of the parents not to have any further publicity but they do wish to express a sincere thanks to the medical and nursing staff."

The birth of sextuplets is rare across the world.

Fertility treatment

The best known in the UK are the Waltons, born in Liverpool well over a decade ago. All survived, and are now in their teens.

It is not yet known whether the mother of the latest sextuplets conceived them naturally, or had undergone fertility treatment.

Fertility treatment was responsible for the octuplets carried by the UK's Mandy Allwood. All eight were born alive, but all subsequently died from complications brought on by the premature birth.