Britain's oldest triplets celebrate 80th birthday

Britain's oldest triplets have celebrated their 80th birthday.

Mary Bloxham, Margaret Coleman and Georgina Leech were born on May 20 1937 and grew up together in the Hall Green area of Birmingham.

Their mother, Mabel Bloxham, only expected one child and the chances of triplets surviving in the 1930s were very slim.

Their mother Mabel got a shock as she thought she was only expecting one baby. Credit: SWNS

After being born in their mother's bedroom, a piece of coloured wool was wrapped around each of their wrists, pink for Mary, green Margaret and yellow for Georgina.

Since then, their mother made them clothes which included each of those colours.

The triplets with their older brother Eric. Credit: SWNS

Mary said: "When we were born, only one baby was expected and then obviously three arrived.

"I was born first at four and a quarter pounds, Margaret was next at four and three quarter pounds and Georgina was last at four pounds."

The sisters as teenagers. Credit: SWNS

Georgina, a mother-of-two and grandmother of four, said: "Margaret got married first in 1962 and she stayed in the Hall Green area of Birmingham with her husband, Michael.

"I got married in 1965 to my husband, John, and I moved to Coventry where I still live 52 years later.

"Mary lived in the family home until 2010 and she now lives next-door to Margaret and Michael."

They are having a party to celebrate the milestone they said there would be 19 of them but it will "just be a family thing".

Margaret added: "When we were born we had the King's bounty, which ended up being three pounds between us.

"It was started by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and my mum applied for it when we were born.

"We received a letter from Buckingham Palace along with a cheque for three pounds."