But Noor and Zayna Ellemore today told how they have no regrets after appearing on a national television show to discuss their involvement in the adult film industry.

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The Thorney Close sisters, also known as Kit and Kat, took centre stage on the Jeremy Kyle Show with their grandma Pat, who says she is disgusted at her granddaughters' choice of career.

But the former Sandhill View schoolgirls, who can charge up to £500 an hour as escorts for a London-based agency, say the show has brought them closer together.

Noor, 22, told the Echo: "Me and Zayna were going through a bad patch and hadn't spoken for a couple of weeks. But after the show I moved back to Sunderland for a couple of weeks and now we get on much better."

The twins have appeared in more than 30 adult films together under the names Kit and Kat.

Noor said: "About three month ago we did a kiss and tell with an actor. It was on the front of the paper and that's when our family found out we weren't just doing glamour work.

"The rest of the family didn't know we were going on the show, they don't like publicity, but we would like it if they accepted what we do."

She added: "People criticise what we do but a lot of people go out on a weekend and sleep with different people. What we are doing is safe and we know most of the people we work with."

In 2003, the Echo reported how the girls were short-listed for a community award for taking time out from their studies at South Tyneside College to coach younger children and lend a helping hand to teachers at Sandhill View.

They also held drama sessions. The twins, who both gained A* for GCSE drama, left Thorney Close to study drama at Lancaster University, but moved to London three years ago where they work as escorts.

Speaking on the popular ITV programme, grandma Pat, 70, said: "We believed they were doing catwalks and doing photos for modelling and things like that.

"We found out from other people, they didn't tell us."

She added: "We used to be so proud of them. When we walked down the street everybody would look at them and say 'look at those two girls, aren't they lovely?'. They've always dressed the same."

When questioned by host Jeremy Kyle about her choice of career, Zayna said: "At first we were doing normal glamour stuff, but there's a fine line between glamour and porn and it's easy to slip to the other side."