TRIPLETS who became local celebrities after surviving a premature birth at a Northallerton hospital have celebrated their 65th birthday.

The Wensleydale Triplets, as they were named by local press including The Northern Echo, were two months early and weighed only two pounds each when they were born on June 19, 1951 – a time without incubators to keep them alive.

The Northern Echo: ONE: The triplets aged one

The triplets aged one

Cecil, Tom and Christine Sayer, born to farmers Richard and Nancy Sayer, lived at Low Farm, Garriston, near Leyburn, and celebrated their milestone birthday surrounded by family at Tennants, Leyburn.

Christine, now Mrs Wheatley, said her mother was told she was expecting “at least two babies” but doctors were not able to confirm how many without appropriate X-ray facilities.

“Cecil and Tom were born first, then me, which was a real surprise because it was expected that we would all be the same sex,” she said.

“Born at The Mount, Northallerton, we were tiny babies to survive in those days, with no incubators available, just good nursing care.

The Northern Echo: NEWSPAPER: The Northern Echo followed their progress

 The Northern Echo followed their progress

“Ces and I reached a weight of five pounds each so were allowed home before Tom, who was in for several more weeks; apparently he only smiled and thrived again once he was back with us at Low Farm.”

Remembering their childhood, Mrs Wheatley said: “Heavy horses were used to work on the farm until we were six, when all ploughing, seeding, haymaking and harvesting was done by the original horse power, and Low Farm was modernised with electricity, running water and bathroom facilities when we were eight years old.”

The triplets attended Hauxwell School, where they were joined by three other sets of twins, and when that school closed they were sent to Constable Burton school, before progressing to the then-new Wensleydale County Modern School at 11 – which Mrs Wheatley said seemed enormous with 500 pupils.

All still working full time, Cecil lives and works at Low Farm, Tom, a lorry driver, lives in Romanby, and Mrs Wheatley is a medical secretary living in Crakehall.

The Northern Echo: TRIPLETS: Cecil, Christine and Tom

Cecil, Christine and Tom

She said: “We have had many happy celebrations of our birthdays, including wonderful family wedding anniversary parties for our parents.

“Sadly both our parents have died, dad in 2001 and mum in 2014, but we decided to make a special celebration for our 65th birthday, by asking 39 family members to join us for a meal at Tennants, and to cut a cake made by our cousin Janet, who had made many celebration cakes for us.

“We have six children between us and are also proud grandparents of six.”