'Two in a million' black and white twins celebrate fourth birthday... and mum says they couldn't be more different in personality
By
James White
Last updated at 2:34 PM on 25th July 2010
They look like friends who met at nursery school but Kaydon and Layton Richardson are in fact twin brothers with different-coloured skin.
The boys have celebrated their fourth birthday in the same week black parents Ben and Angela Ihegboro revealed their white daughter Nmachi to the world.
The genetic quirks make the children 'two-in-a-million' rarities that have fascinated doctors.
Brothers: Kaydon (left) and Layton Richardson have celebrated their fourth birthday
After hearing of the Ihegboro family's incredible baby news, Kaydon and Layton's mother Kerry said skin colour had been on her mind when giving birth to daughter Tiyannah recently.
'I thought it was crazy. As much as it happened to me, the twins' dad
is white, so for it to happen to a black couple seems even stranger,' she said.
'When I was carrying Tiyannah I was wondering what colour she was going
to be.
'Before the twins I would have expected that any child of mine
would have my colour in them.
'But after Layton I wasn't sure what she
was going to look like.
'When she was born she looked as though she
was going to go dark but at about two weeks old it was clear she was
white.
'I was a little surprised as I thought Layton was a one-off.
'Doctors can tell you what sex your baby is going to be but they can't tell you what colour!'
The 32-year-old, who is of English-Nigerian heritage, also fears the twins will stand out when they start primary school in September.
Special boys: Twins Layton (left) and Kaydon with mother Kerry shortly after they were born in 2006
She said: 'It's never been an issue up to now but I
know that Layton notices the difference in their colour.
'I've tried to explain it to them in the past but last year we were in an airport in America when Layton shouted, "Mum, am I white like my dad and Kaydon's black like you?".
'That was the first time he had said that but everyone thought it was very funny.
'I hope it's not going to be a problem when they start school but kids can be cruel.'
Kerry admits she is often suprised by the differences in their personality especially when it comes to interacting with others.
The Job Centre worker, from Widnes, said: 'If you put the twins in a group with other children Kaydon will
take control, whereas when it's just the two of them Layton calls the
shots.
'Kaydon is very good with adults and will tell anybody that he loves them, but Layton will only say that he loves me.'
The boys were 20 minutes apart in 2006, with fair-skinned Layton born before Kaydon, who was much darker.
At the time international clinical geneticist Dr Stephen Withers said the likelihood of a mixed race woman having eggs that were predominantly for one skin colour was rare enough, let alone releasing two of them simultaneously and producing twins.
'It's probably a million to one chance,' he said.
Their mother added: 'You couldn't find two twins who are more different.
Shocked: Ben and Angela Ihegboro with their children Dumebi (left) and Chisom. Their newborn girl is white, astounding doctors
'Kaydon is hyper and excitable whereas Layton can be moody and stubborn. Kaydon is into arty stuff and jigsaws and Layton is crazy about superheroes.'
At Queen Mary Hospital in Sidcup, South East London, doctors confirmed baby Nmachi is not an albino.
Father Ben Ihegboro, 44, a customer services adviser, admitted that when he saw the baby he exclaimed 'What the flip?' before joking: 'Is she mine?'
Speaking to the Sun, mother Angela said: 'She is beautiful, a miracle baby.'
Despite jokingly asking whether he was the father, Mr Igegboro said: 'Of course she is mine.
'My wife is true to me. Even if she hadn't been, the baby wouldn't have looked like that!'
If we all of us delve into our family history it is likely that all humans beings have an element of mixed DNA.
- Nicci, Middlesex, 25/7/2010 17:19
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