THEY were Rochdale’s first triplets for 21 years and arrived into the world eight weeks early weighing little more than three pounds each.

The Ijaz brothers, Abdur Rehmaan, Mohammed Raheem and Abdul Wahhab spent the first two months of their lives being cared for at Rochdale Infirmary’s special care baby unit.

But just look at them now.

The boys, of Ventnor Street, Deeplish, are now five years old and making lots of new friends at Deeplish Primary School, where their 10-year-old brother Numan and nine-year-old sister Anikah are also pupils.

Their proud mother, Sobia Jabeen, says their reception class teacher is delighted with their progress.

She said: "They are bright children and their teacher is very happy with all three boys.

"Every day their teacher has something good to say about them and she loves them to bits."

The triplets, who celebrated their fifth birthday on Wednesday, were all born just a minute apart.

Abdur Rehmaan was born first at 9.58am, followed by Mohammed Raheem at 9.59am and Abbul Wahhab at 10am.

They will enjoy a joint birthday party with Numan who is 11 this coming Wednesday.

Sobia added: "The third triplet, Abbul Wahhab, is pretty different from the first two.

"He is much more well behaved whereas the first two are more naughty characters."