Twins who were separated at birth and adopted by different sets of parents later married each other without realising they were brother and sister, a peer has told the House of Lords.

David Alton, an independent, pro-life member of the Lords, said the brother and sister were granted an annulment after a high court judge ruled that the marriage had never validly existed.

The Catholic politician -- who discovered the case after talking to a judge -- used it to highlight perceived deficiencies in the government's proposed Human Embryology and Tissues Bill, which is currently going through parliament.

The bill is designed to make it easier for lesbian and gay couples to have children through assisted reproduction, recognising same-sex partners as legal parents of babies conceived through donated sperm, eggs or embryos.

But it contains no provision to require the identity of the donor to be disclosed, potentially meaning a child could not be told they were conceived by assisted reproduction.

Alton raised the case of the married twins -- who were born after IVF treatment -- during a debate on December 10, details of which only appeared on Friday.

"There are implications for everybody involved, but the needs of the child will always be paramount, and it is right that we should therefore make the process as transparent as possible," Alton told the Lords.

IVF -- which increases the chances of multiple births -- meant such cases could become more common if the law does not require children to be told they were donor conceived and have access to their genetic history, he said.

"The right of children to know the identity of their biological parents is a human right," he added Friday.

"There will be more cases like this if children are not given access to the truth. The needs of the child must always be paramount."

The identities of the twins and details of their relationship and marriage have been kept secret, but it was known they were separated soon after birth and never told they were twins.

They only discovered they were blood relatives after the wedding.

omg.. I just read that on the news..

I did hear some short excerp on the radio yesterday.
A guy called the station and said "I accidentally married my half sister and she's 8 months pregnant"

Incest is everything it's said to be.

It used to make me sick because they were becoming one of those couples that always dressed alike.
But, when I found out that they were twins,
then,
it was cool.

Not cool.

ArielB said:

What are the odds? I think it's hellafunny It's not exactly something you calculate with, asking your bride to be "btw, are we related?" But in this case they couldn't even have known anything.

"oh my god, we've got like, so much in common"

Brings a new meaning to when your spouse asks your mother "Mind if I call you mom?"

If I fell in love with someone, married her and afterwards found out that she was related to me, I really don't think I would give a god damn ...

"...dude, you made out with your sister!!!" (EuroTrip)

I wondered the same about a friend who was a sperm donor. He was 21, and by age 39 he could have multiple 18 year old daughters, not an unrealistic age gap for a relationship.

A guy gets hired at a manufacturing firm and shows up for work on Tuesday, saying he was sick on Monday. He has a great week, but calls in sick the following Monday. However, he does six days' worth of work in the next four days, so the boss lets it slide.

He calls in sick again the following Monday. He shows up Tuesday, and once again puts in more work in four days than most do in six.

For the fourth Monday in a row, he calls in sick. The boss can't take it, so on Tuesday, he calls the guy into his office.

"I've noticed you've called in sick four Mondays in a row. Do you have a problem with alcohol or drugs? We have very effective treatment options."

"No, it's not that, I was sick just like I said" says the guy. "It's like this - my sister is married to an abusive husband. He drinks his paycheck every Friday night, then comes home and roughs her up. She escapes, comes over to my house, and I comfort her. One thing leads to another, and we spend all weekend in bed. She doesn't leave until Monday morning, and by then, I can't get out of bed/"

"That's outrageous!" says the boss.

"Hey," says the guy, "I told you I was sick!"

Graycap23 said:

Most definitely not.

Oh, I feel BAD for them.

RodeoSchro said:

.....that is crazy and sick.