HEY baby, baby, baby, look at us now. Triplets Angela, Jennifer and Judith, who were featured in the BEN in 1961 when they were five weeks old, have celebrated their 40th birthday

Their mother Patricia Kearns, who was 26 at the time, was hailed as a shining example of someone who did as they were told by doctors.

She was asked to go into hospital at 32 weeks for about a month to lessen the risk of giving birth prematurely and allowed to return home for the last month. They were born at the District General Hospital, now known as the Royal Bolton, and lived in Atherton with their older sister Janet and dad Arthur.

When they were toddlers, the family moved to Droylsden.

Angela, who now lives in Stockport, married Andre and has three children Claire, aged 12, Emily, aged 10, and four-month-old Phoebe.

Jennifer lives in Burton-on-Trent with husband Phil and Christopher, aged 16, Nick, aged 13 and Rebecca, aged nine.

Judith, her husband Paul and their two children Sarah, aged 11 and William, aged nine, live in Huddersfield.

The family marked the milestone with a meal at Ribby Hall, in Wrea Green, near Blackpool, on Saturday.

Among the guests was Janet, her partner Michael and their children Dominic, aged seven and Alexander, aged four.