Triplets turn 50 with an SVR party

They say three's a crowd, but these triplets from Wolverhampton are still inseparable as they celebrate their 50th birthday today.

Paul, Andrew and Martin Tunney, originally from Tettenhall, all now work for London Midland and enjoyed a surprise day out on the Severn Valley Railway to mark their milestone.

The trio turned heads as they travelled between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, lunching at The Crown in High Street, Bridgnorth, before making the return journey.

Father-of-four Paul said today of their bond: "Being triplets has made us closer than if we were just brothers.

"When you're young you obviously have the odd argument but as we have got older it has brought us together. We've always been close and we still are.

"The guard was surprised when he came into our carriage and saw all three of us sitting there with balloons.

"He asked whose birthday it was and we said 'All of us, we're triplets.' It was a brilliant day. The Severn Valley Railway really looked after us.

"It was a really nice surprise."

Sister Lisa, aged 42, who organised the Severn Valley trip, said: "We can tell them apart but if you don't know them that well, it is impossible. At work people often say 'Hello Paul' when they are actually talking to Martin, for example.

"A lot of the time they just say hello back because it is easier than correcting people."

The brothers were born at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton on March 29, 1961, and grew up in Knights Crescent in Tettenhall. Andrew was born first at 6.20pm followed by Paul 10 minutes later and Martin an hour and a half later.

The triplets have also worked together as engineering apprentices for Tube Investments in Wednesfield before joining Sun Valley Foods in Wobaston Road, Bilbrook.

Andrew is now a crime intelligence officer while Paul is a technician at Birmingham New Street and Martin is a team leader and technician.

They all live in different part of the Midlands now, with father-of-one Andrew based in Penkridge, Paul still in Tettenhall and Martin, who has two daughters, in Burlington, near Shifnal.

But they made a special effort to meet up to celebrate their birthday on Sunday, two days ahead of their actual birthday, for the surprise treat.

"They all work different shifts so it was hard to find time when they were all available, and we had 28 people here in total." said Lisa. "But it was a fabulous day."

The former Regis School pupils were joined by their mother Pauline, now aged 72, their aunt and uncle John and Audrey Bird, as well as nephews, cousins and Martin's wife Sheila, 45, and Paul's partner Judith, 44. Lisa added that the triplets' birthdays had always been a busy and costly affair for the family.

She said: "It is an expensive time but they have never gone without even when they were children. When they wanted bikes they all got bikes. When they wanted driving lessons they all got that too."

Their father Graham Tunney worked as a principal health and safety officer at Birmingham City Council before retiring 14 years ago. He died last year, aged 75. Paul added:"It was a happy day but also a sad day. It would have been nice to have him around."