IDENTICAL triplets from Thirsk celebrate their 50th birthdays on Tuesday.

It was something of a shock 50 years ago when Hilda O'Brien was taken to the Mount Maternity Hospital in Northallerton to give birth to one child, as she thought.

Now 83, she will help the girls celebrate their birthday with a huge party at Thirsk Town Hall tomorrow.

"It was something of a shock to my late dad, Patrick, too, as they already had two children," said Aileen Smith, the second born of the three.

All three girls live locally, and all married men who are joiners.

First born, weighing 4lbs 2ozs, was Maureen (Worley) who lives at St Mary's Walk and works at the Baker's Oven, second was Aileen (Smith) a homeopath of Knayton, at 4lbs 7ozs, and last, but not least, came Kathleen (Raynard) of Norby, who weighed 3lbs 5oz and now works for Tesco.

All three girls were full of praise for a "wonderful mother."

"How she managed with five children all under the age of six, we don't know," Mrs Smith added.

The triplets' sister, Joanna Burnham, 55, lives on The Green, Thirsk, and brother John, 53, with his mother in Long Street, Thirsk.

The triplets report several instances of the kind of telepathy often associated with identical siblings. Once, they went out separately to buy presents for three girlfriends and all returned with the same beauty packs and contents.

"Another time, when Maureen was expecting a baby, my husband and I were going on holiday. I suddenly got terrible stomach cramps, which miraculously went away about 3pm. When I phoned home, my sister had given birth at exactly, 3pm," said Mrs Smith.