The intricate legal wrangle over the fate of US-born twins adopted over the Internet resumed today in Birmingham with a custody hearing.
Mr Alan and Ms Judith Kilshaw of north Wales, who are battling to keep the twin girls, were in defiant mood as they were met by reporters outside court.
"Whatever happens today, the fight goes on," Mr Kilshaw said.
The girls, who were born last August, are now in the care of social workers after being taken out of the Kilshaws's hands in January.
This followed a transatlantic adoption tussle over the girlsbetween the Kilshaws and a California couple Mr Richard and Ms Vickie Allen.
The Kilshaws brought the girls to Britain more than three months ago after paying twice as much as the Allens to a US adoption broker.
By that time the Allens had already been caring for the twins for several months after their natural mother agreed to adoption.
Legal proceedings are under way on both sides of the Atlantic.
The hearings starting today in Birmingham are due to last three days and are in private.
While the Kilshaws want custody of the girls the local authority wants them made wards of court. This would effectively puts them in the state's care.
Before going into court Ms Kilshaw said: "All we did was try to give two children a decent home and the media tore us apart. We just want to get a fair, just result."
AFP