THEY are the apple of their parents’ eye, and beautiful twins Poppy and Delilah Dean have just celebrated a remarkable first birthday.

One on Sunday (February 2), the Ruardean sisters’ special day was an eight-digit palindrome date – 02/02/2020, the same numbers forward and back – and the next similar one’s not for more than a century.

Proud mum and dad Harriette Davis and Jesse Dean, both 21, discovered the significance of the date when family members noticed that it seemed unusual.

And more than that, they learnt that Jesse’s mum Jacqueline Voyce had hit the headlines 43 years ago when she appeared in the local paper on her seventh birthday, the date being 7/7/77.

Harriette, who has two sisters and a brother, said: “We were talking to members of the family who mentioned the numbers of the twins’ birthday, and then looked it up and found that it was a really magical date for them and us.

“Amazingly, the last time this sort of palindrome happened was 11 November 1111, which is more than 900 years ago. 

“But it is also a special date because Sunday 2 February is number 33 in days of the year, 33 being another palindrome. And as this is a leap year, it’s also 333 days from the end of the year.

“And we also found out that Jesse’s mum was featured in the paper when she was seven, because her birthday was 7/7/77. It’s incredible.”

The birthday girls were both born at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, weighing in at four pounds each.

But Harriette admits it came as a bit of a surprise to her when she first learnt she was having twins.

“When I went for my first scan, the lady doing it thought I’d already had one and said ‘they’re both fine’.

“I was like ‘both’!!? It came as a bit of a shock at the time, but I wouldn’t have it any other way now.

“Both have got bright red hair like their great- grandmother Shirley Davis from Littledean, who is still going strong at 86, and blue eyes. They’re gorgoeus,” she said.

“The twins have just started walking, so I expect they will be a real handful now, but they’re the apple of my eye.

“They pretty much saved my life and we’re so happy.”

The family, who live at The Hollow in Ruardean, organised a special first birthday photoshoot with professional photographer Dakeney Fox to mark the big day.

Dakeney, from Chepstow, has been specialising in wedding, baby and family photography full time for the past three years.

She has a portable studio, meaning she is able to photograph young children in the comfort of their own home, and prides herself in capturing timeless, natural photographs which her clients will cherish forever.

Her work can be seen online at www.dakeney foxphotography.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Dakeney FoxPhotography/ and on Instagram by going to www.instagram.com/dakeneyfox photography

Dakeney can be contacted on 07960 086015.