'MY MUSIC HELPED TO SAVE ILL T WINS' LIVES' EXCLUSIVE Premature baby boys survived by listening to singer Cara's songs.

Byline: BY MAEVE QUIGLEY

SINGER Cara Dillon has revealed her music helped save the lives of her twin boys.

The 32-year-old, who is married to fellow musician Sam Lakeman, gave birth to Colm and Noah at just 26 weeks.

And the songtress, who will play a gig in Whelan's, Dublin, on June 11, said her babies had to fight for their lives.

Cara said: "We were on tour for three-and-a-half weeks then I was going to finish up and rest like I was told.

"But when I started to get cramps I think we had two more nights to do.

"I didn't know I was going into labour because I was only 26 weeks. But during the concert the pains were coming and going.

"One minute I'd be singing very quietly and the next I'd get very loud. The boys in the band were wondering what was going on and just before the encore they were telling me I didn't look well.

"After the gig I thought I should go to hospital just to see what was happening."

Luckily she was near to Bath Hospital though she had no idea her babies were about to arrive then and there.

Cara said: "It was very scary because I knew how early they were and they both got into difficulty so in the end they were delivered by emergency caesarean section."

Noah was just 2lb 6oz and Colm was 2lb 10oz when they were born.

Cara and Sam were told their babies might not survive.

She said: "As they were so premature they had a few problems with things like their lungs which hadn't developed properly.

"They were both in incubators and one day we'd think they were getting better then the next they would be deteriorating again.

"The doctors told us this would happen but it was tough. They spent three months in the hospital."

But one day the nurses came up with a plan to help Noah and Colm.

Cara added: "When the nurses found out I was a singer, they said, 'If all your babies have known is you singing then maybe it's important you continue to do that and they continue to hear you singing like they did in the womb'.

"So the next day Sam brought in some of our CDs and once a day the nurses played them to the babies.

"The minute they heard the music their heartbeats would become very stable, their breathing and all their vital signs would even out.

"But the boys are 18 months now and are walking and talking.

"They are doing fantastic." Cara, from Dungiven, Co Derry, has just released a new DVD called The Redcastle Sessions which was recorded in Donegal - her first musical endeavour since the twins were born.

CAPTION(S):

BUNDLES OF JOY Mum Cara with her twins boys; PROUD Dad Sam; HARMONY Happy musical family of Cara, Sam and twins