Winchester twins Edna Mitchell and Joan Townley celebrated their 80th birthdays with a surprise family reunion.

The pair who were born and bred in the city met up with family, some of who had travelled from Italy, for the day at Lainston House near Winchester.

The twins, who both live in Springvale, did not know four generations of relatives were going to surprise them when Edna's daughter said she would take them both out for a pub lunch.

Joan, who has three children and three grandchildren said: "We were misled."

Edna added: "When we turned into Lainston House our whole family from all over England were there."

Everyone had a lunch at Lainston House to celebrate the twins' special day. In the end there were about 40 relatives present.

Both were born in St John's Street in the city and the house they lived in as children is still there although now it's two houses.

Edna travelled all over the world as her late husband was in the RAF, and Joan used to run a shop in Springvale.

Edna, who has four children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and is the oldest by half an hour said: "We have led our own separate lives really. I do not suppose there are so many older twins about. People stop in the street and say 'twins' but we are used to it."

She added: "It was marvellous. We felt like VIPs. It was like a dream."

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