TINY twin foals have survived their spring arrival - against all the odds.

But while the miracle ponies make history as the first ever Welsh Cob twins, Norley stud farmer, John Haywood, says they are lucky to be alive.

John, 58, and his wife, Gaynor, 56, are living in a temporary caravan because they do not have permission to live in a building at their stud farm, Fourways, on Cheese Hill Lane.

"It's very unusual for twin horses to survive as it is and these will be the first registered in the Welsh Pony Cob Society," said John.

"I had to deliver them myself at 1.30am last Sunday morning - if I hadn't been here they would have died. I've been up two weeks with the mares. You need to be on site when you're breeding, yet I'm not allowed to live here."

In the early 1990s the Haywoods gained planning permission for various farm buildings. But since then, during a five-year-long battle, John has been refused permission for a permanent home twice and has now appealed to the council for the second time, due to be heard on May 23.

"I Just don't understand it," said John. "I've been a local businessman and provided jobs in the area for 27 years. I'm an ordinary working bloke trying to make a decent living.

"Yet I'm not allowed to live at my farm because of regulations and, at the same time, a developer can come along out of the blue and put up hundreds of houses in one go. It's so annoying. I'm only allowed to stay in the caravan because I've put an appeal in."

A spokesman from Vale Royal Borough Council said that at the last appeal, in July 2000, the inspector said a permanent dwelling at the farm was an inappropriate development in the green belt and did not meet all the relevant criteria. This included the fact that the farm was not sufficiently financially viable to support a permanent dwelling.

The foals, are both fillies - one is bay with a white blaze and the other is black with a star. They both have white socks on their hind legs, John's aim being to breed Welsh Cobs with four white socks.

"Their mum, Becky, is 15. She aborted foals at eight months some six years ago," added John.

"And we've been reluctant to breed her since but thought we'd give it one more go. It was so unexpected but she is being a really lovely mum to them."

John and Gaynor, who also have twin children of their own, cannot decide what to call the new four-legged duo and would like Guardian readers to help. They will have the prefix 'Fourways'. If you have any ideas you can ring them on 01606 882235.