Tragedy has struck the family of Ireland’s first-ever sextuplets after one of the tiny babies lost their brave fight for life.

The sad news was spreading through the rural Dunamore community in County Tyrone this morning where the Conway family lives.

Parents Nuala and Austin Conway were today too distressed to speak about the tragic loss of one of their children, understood to have died at Craigavon Area Hospital. The babies – four girls and two boys – were born on May 22.

Publicist Max Clifford, who has been representing the Conways since the miracle birth, today confirmed one of the babies has died. He said he did not have any further details.

He told the Belfast Telegraph: “Sadly it is true but I don’t know any more, whether it was one of the boys or girls. Ironically I was due to get an update from the parents this afternoon about the babies’ progress.

“It’s very sad and our thoughts are with the family and we hope and pray that the other five babies are going to be fine.”

The chairman of Cookstown District Council, SDLP councillor Tony Quinn, said the community would be devastated by the tragic news.

“This is a terribly sad occasion,” he said. “The family was so happy just a few weeks ago and to lose one of their little babies is so very sad.

“The whole community was so happy and thrilled, first when the babies were born and then as their health began to improve. Now sadly one has lost its fight for life and my heart goes out to the family. They have the thoughts and prayers of everyone in the community.”

Mr Quinn said the community will offer whatever support it can to the Conway family in the coming days.

“Absolutely – I know that at the time of the babies’ birth that the people of the parish of Kildress were fully behind the family,” he added.

“In these sad, sad circumstances I have no doubt they will support them and rally round them again once more.”

At the end of May, Mrs Conway described her joy at her “beautiful little miracles” who were delivered by Caesarean section at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Unit involving 30 medical staff on May 22.

Speaking from her hospital bed, Mrs Conway told how her four baby girls and two boys arrived into the world in just five minutes.

The 26-year-old first-time mother told local priest Father Patrick Hughes, who visited her, that she and husband Austin Conway were “over the moon”. “They're so tiny, yet perfect in every way and can fit in the palm of your hand,” she said of her babies.

“They're our beautiful little miracles. It's truly incredible. I got to see each one as they were born and as each day passes they're getting stronger and stronger.”

The babies, who were conceived naturally without the aid of IVF, were born 14 weeks premature weighing between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 2oz.

The birth of sextuplets is rare, occurring in about one out of 4.5 million pregnancies, and doctors had warned the couple that the babies had just a 50% chance of survival.