Doctors are still yet to establish the cause of death of twin toddlers who are believed to have been murdered by their mother.

An inquest which opened this morning heard Jake and Chloe Ford, both 23 months old, were found at the family home in Castle Drive, Margate on December 27.

They were rushed to the QEQM Hospital in the town later that day but were pronounced dead by doctors.

Their mother, Samantha Ford, 37, was then charged by detectives with their murder.

Her Ford Galaxy car had earlier been in a crash with a lorry on the A229 Thanet Way between Whitstable and Herne Bay.

She was treated in hospital for minor injuries before being taken into custody.

Opening an inquest into the twins' deaths at the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone, coroner Eileen Sproson said: "Following a road traffic collision, police were alerted to an unresponsive female driver.

"She said her babies were at her home address. Police attended and found the babies in their bed.

"A post-mortem has been carried out but a precise cause of death has not yet been established and I understand the mother is under investigation."

The inquest was then adjourned until the conclusion of Mrs Ford's court case, with a preliminary hearing date set for April 24.

The heartbroken father Steven Ford, 35, tweeted shortly after the tragedy: "Daddy's twins xxx my beautiful babies. I love you."

In a later tweet he said: "I want the world to see my beautiful babies. Jake and Chloe forever xxx."