A year that changed our lives; ORDINARY PEOPLE RECALL THE EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS OF THEIR LAST TWELVE MONTHS.

Byline: Interviews: LESLEY ROBERTS

'Doc said babies should be on Discovery Channel'

OUR INCREDIBLE TOTS

SISTERS Ame and Lia are about to find their way into the record books.

The little girls were born two minutes apart...but they're not twins.

Doctors believe the girls may be the first ever to survive a rare dual pregnancy.

In a million-to-one quirk of nature, miracle mum Amelia Spence fell pregnant while already expecting a baby.

Lia was conceived first but her mother continued to ovulate and conceived baby Ame three weeks later. Their names were created in tribute to their special status by splitting their mum's name in half.

Now Amelia and her partner George Herrity are awaiting news on their entry into the Guinness Book of Records - and coming to terms with having the world's most unique sisters.

"They would be special to us no matter what," says tyre-fitter George, 33. "But it's amazing to think they were both inside Amelia's body, growing at different stages. The process is known as 'superfetation'. We'd never heard of that word before this happened. Now we know all about it."

A routine ultrasound revealed the second pregnancy. Shocked medics feared the babies would not make it and offered the couple the chance to abort one baby to give the other a better chance of survival.

"I read everything I could find on the internet," says Amelia.

"And I actually made contact with a man whose wife had the same thing but both their babies died before birth. I was terrified that the same thing would happen to us.

"We had to get scans every week. But I really wanted to let nature take its course." The girls arrived by Caesarean section in April and have just enjoyed their first Christmas. Their home in Neilston, Renfrewshire, is packed with toys and gifts.

Along with older sister Jordon, 10, and brother Declane, eight, the family have had the most amazing - and tiring - year of their lives.

The girls' arrival prompted a whirlwind of attention, with TV appearances, news crews parked outside the house and countless magazine articles.

Amelia says: "I was just glad the girls were OK.

"But the doctor was so amazed he said we should be on the Discovery Channel. It was only then I realised what had happened."

While Lia was a full-term baby, Ame was officially three weeks early. And the girls have continued to develop as if Lia was older.

Amelia says: "Lia tends to do things exactly three weeks before Ame manages it. Their personalities are very different, too. Lia is the wild one. Ame's more quiet.

"We just count ourselves lucky to have had two beautiful, healthy babies."

'I lost 17st and my pals didn't recognise me'

MY SENSATIONAL SLIM

LISA MILBURN is unrecognisable from the woman she was last year...after shedding a scale-busting 17 stone.

Her sassy new look is such a transformation that people who have known her from her childhood now pass her by on the street.

Lisa's amazing achievement won her Scottish Slimmer of the Year and has given her a whole new life.

"I can't even describe all the ways I've changed," says the 23-year-old customer services rep from Edinburgh.

"So many things have happened - and they're all great.

"I was brunette at the start of the year, now I'm blonde. I wore a bikini for the first time on holiday. I went on a fairground ride for the first time. I could never fit in the seat before.

"Then winning the title was unbelievable. So many people have contacted me to say they feel inspired by what I have done. If my story helps one person then I'm delighted."

And she's hoping that 2008 will bring even more success - this time in showbiz.

She said: "Last week I applied to audition for next year's X Factor.

"That's a big dream of mine but I would never have dared do it before because I was so self-conscious about my size.

"I look at people like Michelle McManus who do well when everyone sees them as the underdog but then come in for criticism. My confidence would never have allowed me to do that. I would have crumbled. Now I've the confidence to give it a go."

When single girl Lisa started on the Scottish Slimmers plan she was 29st 7lb, dangerously overweight.

Now she weighs around 12st and has dropped from dress size 34 to a trim size 12.

She said: "My target weight is 11st 1lb, which I haven't officially reached.

"But I'm on the waiting list for surgery to remove excess skin and I reckon once that is gone I will probably be at target.

"I'll have to be careful to keep the weight off. I still have a big appetite and could eat four helpings of a normal person's meal. But I just can't allow myself to do it. It's about choosing the alternative."

That does not mean Lisa will be depriving herself of festive treats. She is now relaxed enough with her healthy eating regime that she can allow the occasional blip.

She said: "I'm determined to stick to it. I have real cause to celebrate this New Year and I'm really looking forward to 2008."

'Still haunted by face of burning terrorist'

MY BATTLE WITH BOMBER

AS he dropped off a passenger at Glasgow Airport, taxi driver Alex McIlveen could never have guessed his life was about to change forever.

Saturday, June 30 was an ordinary day in an ordinary year for the hard-working cabbie.

But the dad-of-two had rolled up at the airport just as two would-be suicide bombers mounted the first terrorist attack on Scottish soil.

As a horror scene unfolded before his eyes, Alex took a split-second decision that would make him a hero in the eyes of the nation...but leave him wishing life could be normal again.

He and other civilians bravely tackled alleged terrorists Kafeel Ahmed and Bilal Abdulla as they tried to blow up the busy airport and thousands of innocent passengers.

Alex, 45, of Drumchapel, Glasgow, said: "It's still difficult to deal with, especially when you can't sleep at night.

"I don't really have nightmares but sometimes I get an image of the guy's face in my head and it wakes me up. I have to go and make myself a cup of coffee to try and get back to sleep again."

Along with holidaymaker Michael Kerr, 40, groundsman Stephen Clarkson, 41, and baggage handler John Smeaton, 31, Alex battled the bombers to the ground.

Alex tore a tendon in his foot as he kicked one of the attackers, yet his selfless action earned him a parking ticket after a traffic warden targeted his abandoned taxi.

The accolades and attention rolled in. John Smeaton became the unofficial focus of the plaudits but all four were honoured - along with members of the emergency services - with our collective Great Scot award in recognition of their bravery.

Today Alex feels like he's a different man. He says: "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I did it and I would do it again. But I was face to face with the guy while he was in flames. I could see the skin peeling away.

"I never thought in a million years I could see someone like that and not want to help. Yet there I was and if I'd had a gun, I would have shot him. It would be fair to say it's not something I want to talk about all the time."

CAPTION(S):

Baby love: George and Amelia had Ame, left, and Lia minutes apart but they're not twins Picture: HENRY McINNES; World first: Our story; Before and after: Old Lisa, left, shed stones to win title and hug from rival; Wow factor: Lovely Lisa is so happy with her new shape she wants X Factor audition Picture: MARTIN McREADY; Attack: Our report; National hero: Cabbie Alex McIlveen