THREE sets of tiny triplets are keeping staff in Basildon Hospital's special care baby unit on their toes.

All three sets were delivered by Caesarean section within two weeks of each other, bringing the total born in the hospital this year to five sets.

But amazingly it is still not a record -- a couple of years ago there were no less than five sets of triplets in the unit at the same time.

First to make their debut into the world on November 2 were Hayley, Tara and Jodie Robinson.

They are the first children for Yvonne and Paul, of Lodge Lane, Grays, who had been trying for a family for eight years.

The couple, who run a firm of insurance brokers, decided to opt for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and struck lucky first time.

Yvonne, 34, said: "Three eggs were inserted and we were told there was little chance of carrying all three."

She sailed through the operation and had to be told to slow down by nurses the day after her babies were delivered.

Now she and Paul, 43, cannot wait to get them back home. Ten days later Wendy Purser, 37, gave birth to Mollie and identical twins Michael and George.

Wendy and her husband Colin, 48, already have daughters Joanne, 20, and 18-year-old twins Leah and Clair. Twins run in both families.

She said: "I wanted to add to our family and as the twins are at college decided now was the time."

Wendy, a packaging technologist of Cobham, Grays, says the arrival of Pampers and the huge improvements in baby foods in the last 18 years will make motherhood easier this time round.

On Monday this week Jamie, Chloe and Hannah completed the hat-trick when they made their debut.

With lots of sets of twins on both sides of dad Steve's family, an instant family was always on the cards.

Mum Lorraine, 35, admits she was "shocked but pleased" when she learned she was expecting three.

The couple, of Dovedale Close, Langdon Hills, are looking forward to Christmas -- next year!

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