A true sister act! Heartwarming images show how girl, two, helped her twin to take her first steps 

Toddling through the autumn leaves, these are some of the first steps taken by a little girl with Down’s syndrome – thanks to a helping hand from her twin sister.

Freya was born with this genetic condition and struggled to get her feet under her. She was two years old in September.

But her twin Caitlyn, who does not have Down’s syndrome, had already started walking and was determined to help her progress.

Over the next few months, Caitlyn gave constant encouragement, holding Freya’s hand and bringing over the baby walker to support her.

Her expertise clearly has paid off. Freya now has the ability to stand on her own with just a little bit of assistance.

Freya was the first child to be born with Down’s syndrome. She struggled to get her feet under her skin and was still struggling on her bottom just before turning two. But her twin Caitlyn, who does not have Down’s syndrome, had already started walking and was determined to help her progress

Their mother Laura Guilliatt, 32, said: ‘Caitlyn took it upon herself to help Freya along. It was beautiful to see.

‘She totally mothered her – she still does it now. Thanks to all of Caitlyn’s help and Freya’s determination, Freya actually started walking just before her second birthday.’ 

After a long struggle to conceive, Miss Guilliatt was 46 with her partner Simon Robinson. They had twins through IVF in 2019.

They put in two eggs and – to their amazement – Miss Guilliatt became pregnant with twins.

After a long struggle to conceive, Miss Guilliatt, 46, and Simon Robinson (46) had twins through IVF.

The payroll administrator, from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, had a straightforward pregnancy until around 20 weeks when she was told there was extra fluid in Freya’s brain.

At 35 weeks she was sent for an emergency C-section and, three days later, doctors confirmed that Freya had Down’s syndrome. However – in a 14-in-a-million chance – Caitlyn did not.

‘I was terrified of all the health implications that I thought would come with Freya having Down’s syndrome,’ said Miss Guilliatt. ‘[But] Freya was just a typical baby like her sister.’

Around 750 babies with Down’s syndrome – a genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome – are born in the UK every year.

‘I was terrified of all the health implications that I thought would come with Freya having Down’s syndrome,’ said Miss Guilliatt. ‘[But]Freya looked just like her sister.