A set of triplets belonging to a family of 11 people are celebrating their 60th birthday at the end of the month.

Janice Edwards, Peter Jones and Angela Nutburn were born on November 30 1960 at Salisbury District Hospital.

Parents Lillian and John Jones already had six children by the time they came into the world: Sally, Malcolm, Alan, Glynis and twins Brian and Barbara. Pauline, who was born after Sally, died of meningitis aged six months.

Originally, the family lived in the village of Damerham but moved to a three-bedroom council house in Picket Close in nearby Fordingbridge before welcoming the latest additions.

Sally Newell, 73, the eldest child, said: “I was nine when the twins were born and 13 when mum had the triplets. It was a big family but it was alright, we were quite happy.

“I had to look after them which I didn’t really mind. The neighbours used to come in to help mum in the morning to bath the triplets and feed them.

“The girls were never that bad, they were never naughty but I remember Peter playing truant and saying to me ‘you won’t tell mum, will you?’

“I can’t believe they’re 60, they don’t look it.”

Angela who still lives in Fordingbridge has two sons – Matthew, 34 and James, 16. She works at Allenbrook nursing home with her sister Barbara.

“We both joined on the same day 20 years ago,” she said.

Peter is a steel fixer from Downton. He has three daughters – Charlie, 33, Mel, 31 and Bryony, 26 – and six grandchildren.

Janice has two girls, Kimberly, 29 and Amanda, 26 and lives and works in Wales.

According to Sally, the family are all very close especially the triplets.

“When Janice got married again I got beautiful pictures of them, they are very close.”

Due to the current pandemic, family celebrations have been cancelled and the triplets will spend their birthdays with their own families.