If Saturday's child works hard for its living, Terri Hawkins' children could well start their own business boom.

Her fifth child, Robson, followed in his four siblings' footsteps when he was born on Saturday.

Miss Hawkins, 31, and partner Ian Osborne didn't think much of it when their first three children, Adam, eight, Gabrielle, six, and Francesca, five, were all born on Saturdays.

But when Quinn, three, was born on Saturday, February 8, 1997 - her dad's birthday - they began wondering what was going on.

Miss Hawkins, of Veronica Walk, Greenstead, said: "They came late and early, but they always came out on Saturdays!

"This time everyone was expecting me to go in the Saturday before, but when I didn't, they said it would be a week later."

And sure enough, in the early hours she went to Colchester Maternity hospital, where Robson was born 10.45am, weighing 8lb 15oz.

"I just couldn't believe it." she said. She said HGV fitter Mr Osborne, 32, was "chuffed to bits".

Miss Hawkins returned home on Sunday to look after the rest of the family. But she has no plans to test the Saturday phenomenon further, saying: "I'm calling it quits now."

Waht are the chances of that happening?

Mathematically, the chance of Miss Hawkins having all of her children on Saturdays is 16,807 to one.

Essex has had more than its fair share of family feats.

Sue and Ivan Dyer from Great Tey have achieved fame with their eight children, born in a perfect girl, boy, girl boy succession.

And the family is now waiting to see if its latest addition, due later this year, continues the amazing pattern. They do not know whether another girl is set to join Charlene, James, Kelly, Daniel, Kirsty, Joe, Natasha and Luke to continue the run.

Wendy Spooner, from Tolleshunt D'Arcy, said her late mother Mary had ten children born in boy, girl, boy, girl sequence between 1943 and 1963 to what she affectionately dubs "the madhouse"

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