AT A 90th birthday party yesterday, Tuesday, a Middlewich family had a veritable festival of celebration that could well be unrivalled.

Ninety-year-old Elizabeth Preston held her party at home in Booth Lane.

It was made all the more special following the New Year's Day birth of her great, great grandson, Bayley Royle who joined the merrymaking - as the fifth generation of the family.

Also joining the party were Elizabeth's daughter Mary Illidge, who was 68 on the same day, and her husband Wilfred who was celebrating his 69th birthday. And it was also their wedding anniversary.

Mary and Wilfred's second daughter, Wendy Cookson, could not make it to the party. She was elsewhere - celebrating her 44th birthday!

Elizabeth's youngest daughter, Beryl Stephens, said: "Four generations' birthdays on the same day is just unbelievable.

"It has cost me a fortune in cards, but it is well worth it for what has to be one of the biggest celebrations around."

And in case you were wondering, it's not Beryl's birthday. She was born in February - on the same day as her grandfather.