I thought I was an only child but then I found out I had a twin brother and he’s SEVEN years older than me

IF there's one thing families are good at it's sweeping things under the rug.

And one woman was shocked to discover a 26-year long secret that proved she had a twin brother - who also happened to be seven years older than her.

3

3

Isabel Paterson was reunited with her long-lost twin, Colin, 32, after deciding to track down her genetic mother who donated her embryo thirty years ago.

Marie Flatekval and Colin Tortoise, Isabel's genetic parents had three eggs implanted and froze six.

Following fertility treatment, Marie donated a spare embryo to a childless couple, and Isabel was born.

However, the 26-year-old, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, got more than she bargained for when she found out about her genetic twin - who also turned out to be seven years older than herself.

Despite being born at different times, they are classed as twins as they are from the same batch of embryos but if they had been born at the same time, they would have been twins. 

Isabel also found out that she had a half-brother, Omar on ITV's four-part series, Born From The Same Stranger, which started airing on Monday.

Speaking on the programme, narrated by Davina McCall, Isabel said: "'It's such a strange feeling... it's better than I imagined."

The new series follows donor children, of which there are more than 70,000 in the UK, and there hope to trace their long-lost relatives.

Isabel also has a brother, Tom, who she grew up with but share no genetic relation.

The young woman was stunned to find out she had a twin as she thought she was the only child from the egg before setting out to find her genetic parents.

Colin admitted it was a shock to look at Isabel as they had many similarities, with the two of them having exactly the same eyes. 

'I was just taken completely aback that I had a full genetic sibling that we'd never known about,' he said. 'I couldn't sleep for days thinking about it!'

While Isabel was able to meet her genetic mum, her dad had unfortunately passed away back in 2001.

Isabel' was able to track down Marie in Norway after she sent a letter introducing herself.

Getting in touch was a decision Isabel thought long and hard about.

 'If they said to me, they don't want any contact at all, I absolutely respect that,' she explained.

But Marie was thrilled to meet Isabel and revealed she had donated the eggs and forgot about them after so many years.

"We decided to donate and we forgot about them. It is a tremendous, big surprise," she added.

"It's like some dear gem that's come back to you after being lost for a long time."

Donors could remain completely anonymous and were paid around £15 per donation.

But in 2005, a new law changed that and it meant children couple apply for details to help identify their biological parents from the age of 18.

The third instalment of the TV show Born From The Same Stranger will air tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

3