A MUM has spoken of her heartbreak following the death of one of her new-born twins who clung on to life for eight days.

Julie Dayman, 33, of Strensall, was one of 19 staff at York's Asda store featured in the Evening Press last month because they were all expecting babies or had recently given birth.

But the nightmare began to unfold for Julie and husband Jamie, 25, when Julie's waters broke 11 weeks before she was due to give birth.

They were told that York District Hospital did not have the facilities to cope with the situation and Julie was rushed to South Cleveland Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where she underwent an emergency caesarean.

She gave birth to twins Marcus and Steven, who immediately went into intensive care and initially appeared to be doing well.

But Marcus began to succumb and, despite all the efforts of the hospital medical staff, he died after eight days.

Yet, against the odds and despite being the smaller twin, Steven has continued to make good progress and is expected to leave hospital in June, a perfectly healthy baby.

Marcus's death has hit Jamie particularly hard as the boy was his first child. Julie had previously had two sons, Robert, 12, and Nicholas, ten, who were also born early.

But Julie said they could find comfort from the fact they did get to spend some time with Marcus, however limited, whereas couples with a stillborn child did not get that chance.

"We got to change his nappy and wash him and we even saw him open his eyes and kick around," she said. "But the doctors said that even if they had been able to keep him alive he could have been badly disabled."

Julie added that Marcus had to go through so much in his desperately short life that his death was a release for him.

"You just don't want them to suffer any more and we take comfort from the fact that there was no more suffering.

"We'd like to thank all the medical staff because they did everything they could. Our family and friends and work colleagues have all been very supportive.

"But these things do happen to people and we've got to be strong for Steven."

Marcus's funeral was taking place at 1.30pm at St Mary's Church, Strensall, followed by burial at the village cemetery.

Julie and Jamie are preparing for the homecoming of Marcus's twin brother, Steven, who is now just over four weeks old.

He is expected to be home by June, the month he and Marcus were due to have been born.

Updated: 12:11 Monday, April 23, 2001