Christmas Day brought double joy for Mrs. Lorraine Booth when she gave birth to twin girls.

Briana Alexis and Britanny Alana were two of four babies born in King Edward VII Memorial Hospital on Saturday.

Mrs. Booth was in labour for 24 hours before her tiny girls were born just after noon.

Husband Mr. Johnny Booth stayed at his wife's bedside, in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, throughout her labour, which started on Christmas Eve.

First to arrive was Briana, at 12.49 p.m. weighing five pounds and four ounces and measuring 19 inches tall. Six minutes later her sister, Britanny, arrived weighing five pounds and seven ounces and measuring 17 inches tall.

Mr. and Mrs. Booth found out that she was having twins soon after they were married in July. Mrs. Booth said: "We were married and the following day I found I was pregnant.

"I was teasing my husband and he joked that there better not be two babies in there. Then I found that I was going to have twins! I thought he was going to fall off his seat when I told him.

"It is still sinking in with me but Johnny seems to be in tune with it, already noticing different things about the girls.

"He stayed with me throughout the labour. I was really surprised he did not pass out. He was really supportive.'' Resting at the hospital until the end of the week, Mrs. Booth says they are well prepared for the "double trouble'' and she is expecting all her family, including five sisters-in-law, to help out.

She said: "My mother is ecstatic. She is flying out from North Carolina this week. These are her first grandchildren.'' Mrs. Booth has plenty of experience of children as she works at the Child Development Centre at the US Naval Air Station.

Originally from New York, she met Mr. Booth while she was in Bermuda with her uncle who was singing at the Clay House Inn, five years ago. She said: "We were looking for my uncle and we went to Casey's. Johnny held the door open and it was love at first sight.'' Bermudian Mr. Booth works on the Tyne's Bay Incinerator, which is nearing completion in Devonshire.

The first baby born on Christmas Day at the hospital was another little girl, born to Miss Julieann Wainwright. After going into labour just after midnight she gave birth to Rhiana at 5.30 a.m.

Rhiana weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces at birth and is the first child of the delighted mother and her fiancee Mr. Rhohan Moore.

Miss Wainwright, who left hospital with Rhiana yesterday, works at the Bank of Butterfield. Mr. Moore is a Police officer. They are marrying early in the New Year.

Miss Wainwright said: "It was amazing having a baby on Christmas Day. She is getting a lot of attention from our families. Everyone is so excited.'' The third mother preferred to have no publicity about the birth.

DOUBLE DELIGHT -- Mrs. Lorraine Booth and her twin daughters Briana and Britanny, born on Christmas Day.