Angelina Jolie gives birth to twins

Angelina Jolie has given birth to a girl and a boy in a French hospital, it has been announced.

The actress and her partner Brad Pitt welcomed the arrival of their twin children at the Lenval Hospital in Nice last night. The babies were born by Caesarean section.

Doctor Michel Sussmann confirmed that the girl weighed in at 2.28kg and has been named Vivienne Marcheline, while the boy weighed 2.27kg and has been called Knox Leon.

Sussmann added: "The babies are doing well. The operation went just perfectly. Angelina is in very good spirits. Brad Pitt was at her side. He was there and all was well."

Jolie checked in to the hospital at the beginning of the month. Reports last week stated that she could not wait to give birth because she was "fed up" with life at Lenval.

The Hollywood couple already have four other children. Shiloh, who was delivered in Africa two years ago, had been their only biological child, while they also have three adopted children.