Double trouble with three generations of twins

But if the people of Kidderminster have become accustomed to seeing double over the years, they might still raise an eyebrow at the latest additions to the brothers' family ­— a third set of twins.

As well as the brothers, who are well-known as 'tatters' around the town, Harold's grand-daughters, Deborah Hartill and Teresa Calder, are also twins. And now the family has a third set in Deborah's daughters, Elsie-Mae and Nennie-Rae, who were baptised on Harold and Joe's 83rd birthdays.

However, the horses were left behind for the service at St Mary's Church last month. Instead a chauffeur-driven limousine was hired for the occasion.

Harold, who also worked at the former Silver Spoon sugar refinery in the town, said he and his brother first began taking their horse-drawn cart around the town when they were around 14, and they still go around collecting scrap metal ­— although they now use a pick up truck.

"It isn't safe to take a horse on the roads now," he said.

"Joe's still got some horses, but he doesn't take them out.

"My other brothers Geoff and Johnnie, they have both passed on now, used to keep a scrapyard, but for me and Joe it was just a hobby.

"We used to be well-known for our horses, we would go around the Horsefair collecting metal.

"What we really enjoy is the company, you get to know a lot of people."

And to encourage his great-grand-daughters to follow in the family tradition, Harold has bought them their own wooden horse.

Deborah said she could not believe it when she heard she was expecting identical twins.

"I don't think I am over it even now," she said.

"They were a blessing and I would not change them for the world."

Elsie-Mae and Nennie-Rae were born in September last year, seven weeks early, which Deborah said was difficult.

"Carrying Elsie-Mae and Nennie-Rae was quite hard and there were some problems.

"It really took me off my feet."

Elsie-Mae and Nennie-Rae were baptised with their older sister Lacey during the service on October 12.

"Nobody can understand what it meant to me to have the christening on that date, and that both my grandad and Joe could be around to see them," Deborah said.

"Everybody knows Harold and Joe. They've done a lot of travelling up and down the country.

"I love them but they can be a bit cheeky at times. Sometimes I don't know which ones are the children."

She said that Harold and Joe attracted as much attention as ever when they arrived at the church by limousine.

"I think people thought the mayor was coming," she said.

Deborah said having twins is hard work but very rewarding.

She said: "It is hard work at times, obviously, but it really is good fun.

"If I could, I would have more twins, because they're so fantastic.

"Christmas should be interesting, we are really looking forward to that."

Harold, who is great-grandfather to the twins, said: "It's very nice to have them, I think it is absolutely marvellous.

"I love seeing them every time they come over ­— I love to spend time with them."

None of them have far to go for a chat, with Harold, Teresa and Deborah all living in Eddy Road, Kidderminster, and Teresa and Joe living both living within a two-minute walk.