A CANCER survivor who was told she may never be a mother has defied medics by giving birth to triplets.

Rebecca Hillary, 23, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 2001, was warned that chemotherapy and radiotherapy may save her life, but would probably make her infertile.

Five years on, Ms Hillary is a mother-of-four, after she gave birth to her first child, Kayleigh-Beth, in March last year, and then to triplets Scott, Hermione and Melody in April.

Ms Hillary, who lives with partner, Bill Bartle, 43, in Colburn, North Yorkshire, said: "It is pretty hectic, there is no denying that, but I love being a mum."

After she was diagnosed with cancer aged only 19, Ms Hillary said she was devastated when told she may never be able to have children.

But after she went into remission from the disease, she and Mr Bartle were concerned when she began suffering from sharp stomach pains in 2004, and feared the cancer had returned.

She said: "I was getting better and had just started work again, and was having bad stomach pains, so my supervisor sent me down to A&E.

"I was preparing myself for the worst, thinking the cancer had come back.

"But, after doing tests, they said the reason my stomach was hurting was because I was pregnant.

"I told them I could not possibly be, and the doctor laughed and said he had seen my notes, but I was definitely expecting. Both Bill and I were in shock."

An even bigger shock was in store for the couple when, five months after Kayleigh-Beth was born, Ms Hillary learnt she was pregnant again -with triplets.

She said: "I went for a scan and the lady asked me if I had conceived through IVF. I said no, and then said 'don't tell me there's two in there'.

"She smiled and said 'no, not two, three'.

"It's a good job I was lying down."

The triplets were born by Caesarian section and arrived six-and-a-half weeks early.

Ms Hillary and Mr Bartle, who has two children from a previous relationship, are not ruling out further additions to their family.

Ms Hillary said: "The pregnancy was absolutely awful, I would not wish it on my worst enemy -but it was worth it."