Surgeons have offered to separate Siamese twins Muhammad and Ahmad bin Rosli free - but £70,000 still needs to be found for hospital overheads.

The four-year-old twins, who have been staying in Leigh with George and Lisa Henry, of the Humanitarian Aid Project, are joined at the abdomen and have been told by specialists that the separation would be low risk.

Although a provisional date for the operation has now been set for early next month, Mr and Mrs Henry have no idea where they will find the money to pay for the hospital costs.

The twins, from Malaysia, go back to Great Ormond Street hospital tomorrow for scans to determine which internal organs they share.

Mr Henry, 50, of Leighview Drive, Leigh, said: "The surgeons have offered to do the operation for nothing."

But speaking of the overhead costs, he said: "I am desperately trying to get local companies to help us."

A hospital spokesman said: "Great Ormond Street consultants saw the conjoined twins from Malaysia. The twins are intelligent, healthy, lively four-year-olds."

If anyone would like to make a donation to Hapee (Humanitarian Aid Project for Eastern Europe, registered charity number 1079473) to help pay for Muhammad and Ahmad's operation, they should contact George Henry on 01702 713373

Published Tuesday August 13, 2002

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