Two sets of twins celebrate 60th birthday in Bognor Regis

Veronica and George Moulson and Brian and Geoff Moulson were born just 341 days apart.

The short gap between their births saw them featured in the News of the World.

Veronica, now Veronica Ashworth, said two sets of twins born so close together was unknown.

"It was a record at the time. It was unusual to have such multiple births naturally," she explained.

"Our mum and dad got married and then our dad went to war and they didn't see each other again for five years. Nine months later we were born."

She and George were the first to be born to Vera and Frank Moulson on August 2, 1947. They were soon followed by Brian and Geoff on July 9, 1948.

All the children were born in Crescent Road before the family moved to Hampshire Avenue and the children went to the-then William Fletcher School in the town.

Geoff said: "They couldn't tell me and Brian apart. We had to wear name badges."

Their mother had a strict routine to cope with the demands of looking after four young children without any of the labour-saving devices familiar to mums of today.

She also gave birth to their younger brother, Frankie, ten years later.

Their father took on at least two jobs at once to pay for the family in the absence of any benefits. He worked as a sheet metal fettler at Lec Refrigeration as well as delivering coal with a horse and cart.

Three of the twins have lived around Bognor for most of their lives.

Vera settled in Shripney Road, after a few years away, while self-employed builder Geoff is in Ashurst Close, North Bersted.

Brian, who is also a self-employed builder, lives in Oxford Drive, West Meads, while George works and lives in the British Embassy in Paris. He is due back soon for a belated celebration of their birthdays.

Between them, the twins have nine children and 15 grandchildren but there is a total absence of twins in the later generations of the family.