By Emma Frampton emma.frampton@midsomnews.co.uk 01749 832334

They may only be a few weeks old, but tiny twin girls from mid-Somerset have melted the heart of an A-list Hollywood celebrity.

Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage has gained a hard-man image from such films as Face/Off and Con Air.

But the actor, who has a home at Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, was an absolute softy when he toured Bath's Royal United Hospital's premature baby unit last week.

Mr Cage was there to support the hospital's Forever Friends Appeal, which aims to raise enough cash to build an extension for parents to stay with their children.

While there he was pictured with twin little girls Ashleigh Rose and Amber Louise Mortimer, from Shepton Mallet. When asked for his feelings as he held the pair, the A-list star, who himself is a father-of-two, said with a big grin on his face: "I love them, I love all children. I love babies."

The tiny scraps were born 10 weeks early, weighing in at just 2lb 10oz and 2lb 8oz, on September 15.

For mum Emma Guidi and dad Andy Mortimer, the past few weeks have been a trial as they make the daily trip from their home in Shepton Mallet to visit their twin daughters in Bath.

"There isn't room for us to stay at Bath, so I have to wait until Andy finishes work before we travel up to Bath in the evening to see the girls," she said.

"It's been very difficult, but they're doing very well and have reached 4lbs, so we're now talking about 'home time', hopefully at the end of this week or the beginning of next week."

As it was Ted's Big Day Out, Mr Cage took along his wife Alice Kim and four-year-old son Kal-El.

While the superstar saw the cramped facilities for himself when he visited the hospital, he did not actually get to meet Ashleigh and Amber's parents and may not have realised the couple live just a few miles away from his own home at Baltonsborough.

Emma said: "We were asked a few days before to sign a form to say we were happy for him to have photographs taken with the girls. Unfortunately, because of the problems with transport, we couldn't actually be there ourselves. We saw pictures of him holding the girls and we've been given a copy of the photograph from the hospital. I wasn't nervous, they look like they are in safe hands."

After meeting other parents, doctors and nurses at the unit, Mr Cage described the Forever Friends Appeal - which has a teddy bear as its logo - as worthy. Clutching his son's teddy bear to show his support for the appeal, Mr Cage explained why he was giving his backing.

"I have been warmly welcomed into this community, this beautiful and gracious community, and I want to say thanks. Any chance I can to give thanks back, I will," he said.

"This campaign is very worthy. It will enable them to build a larger unit and it will be a green unit, which I think is spectacular to be able to have that.

"I think what they are looking for is state-of-the-art and I think they'll have it. They're almost there."

Meanwhile, the Baltonsborough village home of Nicolas Cage appears to be one of the remaining properties in his portfolio that he is keeping.

As Mr Cage took time out to visit Bath, news was breaking that he had put many of his properties on both sides of the Atlantic up for sale, including a castle near Bath.

According to national media, Mr Cage owes the American-equivalent of the Inland Revenue several million dollars in income tax.

It is believed the sale of his castle at Midford, and mansions in America, will help to meet that cost.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported this week that he has issued a writ against his former financial advisor, whom he blames for what is described in court papers as catastrophic losses. The Leaving Las Vegas star has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles, accusing Samuel Levin of "gross mismanagement" and lining his pockets at the actor's expense.