"We love that our family is this big" Alice, Mabel and Phoebe

And three more made six

The triplets' parents, Nigel and Tracey, already had three children and weren't expecting to have any more, so the girls came as a bit of a shock.

Alice, Mabel and Phoebe were healthy at birth, weighing around 1.5kg each, and came home from hospital shortly after they were born.

Two adults, six children, a dog, two cats and 36 fish shared a three-bedroom house with little room downstairs.

Tracey caught the superbug MRSA and had to return to hospital for treatment. During this period, Nigel decided to set up his own company organising conferences. Eventually, the family moved out of the city to a bigger property.

The triplets' three siblings, Jimmy, Hayley and Charlie, are supportive of their sisters. Alice, Mabel and Phoebe are well-loved children.

Individual interests

Tracey encourages the triplets' differences. As toddlers, Mabel was a tomboy and wanted lots of hugs, Alice was the dominant one - the princess of the family - and Phoebe was quiet and mischievous.

Phoebe has developed the family obsession with pets and has a pony, Buttons. She's also learning to play the violin.

Mabel works on the allotment with Nigel, growing vegetables and herbs for the family. She's learning to play the guitar.

Adventurous Alice goes to the climbing wall at the recreation centre with her brother Jimmy and has developed a passion for cooking, especially cakes.

Tracey says: "I'm against forcing children to do things. I like them to do what they choose themselves, because then they'll be motivated to learn - and enjoy themselves."

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