200m-1 identical triplets; ONE EGG, THREE BABIES.. AND ONE AMAZED MUM.

Byline: BY AIDAN MCGURRAN

PROUD Carmela Testa is a mum in far more than a million - after giving birth to identical triplets.

Such naturally conceived children only arrive once in every 200 million births.

And Carmela, 23, who is a MIDWIFE, reckons her three beautiful blue-eyed babes are real little miracles.

She said: "I'm so overwhelmed when I see them. I can't believe they are mine and that they are perfect. My three close friends delivered each of the babies."

The blonde super-brood were born seven weeks premature after Carmela had an emergency caesarean.

She and fiance Richard Rees, 22, waited three weeks to bring them home from Peterborough Maternity Unit as the girls - Gabriella, Alessia and Olivia-built up their strength in incubators.

Thrilled Carmela, who lives in Peterborough, said: "We've got twins on both sides of the family, but not triplets."

The childhood sweethearts have slowly learned to tell their off-spring apart.

Carmela explained: "Gabriella was called Gobby Gabriella. She was the only one to go on a ventilator. She didn't like it and made lots of noise.

"Olivia is going to be the protective one and Alessia is really laid back. They are fair-haired with a tinge of auburn and have big, blue eyes."

Now 15 weeks old, they weighed between 3lb 4oz and 3lb 10oz at birth - but have now gained around seven pounds - and lots of admiring looks.

CAPTION(S):

OLIVIA Little Olly is the protective one of the three; GABRIELLA Gobby' likes to make her presence felt; ALESSIA Carmela reckons she's the most laid-back of the trio