A gay couple has welcomed a set of twins with two different fathers, after both men were able to fertilise an embryo during the IVF process.
Calder and Alexandra Berney Edwards are actually half siblings despite being born at the same time, because they don't share paternity.
They were born to London-based couple Simon and Graeme via surrogate, Meg Stone, 32, whom they met in Canada.
Amazing advances in IVF meant that the couple were able to fertilise an embryo each and both were placed into surrogate Meg Stone's womb.
Simon (right) and Graeme Berney Edwards are both biological fathers to their twins Calder and Alexandra (seen shortly after their birth) after they were both able to fertitilise an embryo
Simon, 43, said: 'It really is amazing that Graeme and I have been able to father one of our twins each.
'Meg did an amazing job - and it meant that she was actually pregnant by two men at the same time. It's thanks to the wonder of IVF that we have been able to achieve our dream.
'Graeme and I have always wanted to have a family, and now we have our lovely twins.
'They are still classed as twins even though they have different biological fathers.'
The couple knew that they wanted to try to start a family this way as it meant that they would be the named parents on the birth certificate from the start.
Amazing advances in IVF meant that the couple were able to fertilise an embryo each and both were placed into surrogate Meg Stone's womb. Pictured: Meg with twins
The couple travelled to Canada in order to have the IVF they required, as the process of fertlising two embryos with different sperm isn't yet available in the UK. Pictured: Graeme and Simon with the twins
This is unlike the UK where it can take up to six months to get a parental order granted to change it from the named birth mother at the birth.
This treatment isn't practised in the UK, where two embryos fertilised by different fathers are put back at the same time.
So they extended their search for a surrogate to Canada and met Meg who already had a family of her own - her two sons, Jeffrey, 12, and Max, five.
Meg said: 'I saw Simon and Graeme's profile on a surrogacy website and I thought they had lovely smiles.
The married couple say that meeting Meg was like being 'reunited with a long lost sister'
The twins have just celebrated their first birthday and Meg flew over from Canada to help them celebrate
'I had recently split with my partner and I wasn't ready for another baby, so I wanted to help someone.'
The couple chose an anonymous egg donor, and then flew out to a fertility clinic in Los Angeles to fertilise the embryos.
Simon said: 'We couldn't decide on who would be the biological father. Graeme said it should be me, but I said that he had just as much right as I did.
'When we spoke to the doctor at the clinic he stunned us with his reply. He told us that it could be both of us.
'They said that we could have half the embryos fertilised with my sperm and then half with Graeme's sperm.'
The couple then tied the knot, and decided to fly out to Canada on their honeymoon - and meet up with Meg for the first time at the same time.
Simon said: 'We were nervous at the beginning - in case that we didn't click with her. But we needn't have worried.
The couple now refer to Meg as the twins' 'Tummy Mummy' which she says she loves
The couple say that their two children have gone from strength to strength and are 'hitting all their milestones'
'Meeting Meg was like being reunited with a long lost sister. She wrapped us both in a hug before introducing us to her adorable boys.
'We didn't how to thank her. We told her we were so grateful to her - she was changing not only our lives but our families too.'
Six months later, one fertilised embryo of Simon's, and one embryo of Graeme's were put back into Meg's womb.
Then they faced an agonising two week wait to see what would happen and whether it would work.
The couple risked only one of the embryos
