Miracle triplets who survived against the odds celebrate turning 18

Loving mum Amanda Hall, 43, of North Crescent, Duckmanton, gave birth to three baby girls by emergency caesarean when she was 26 weeks pregnant.

It was feared the trio –Chloe, Condie and Courtney – might not survive.

But today they will celebrate reaching 18, and Amanda and husband James, 39, could not be happier.

“It has flown by,” Amanda said.

“We are very proud parents of all of them.

“They are miracle triplets, they really are. They are very lucky to be here to say what they have gone through.”

Amanda was told she was having triplets in December 1999.

But when she was 26 weeks pregnant, she had to have an emergency caesarean.

Doctors were unsure whether the trio would make it and warned the family.

Thankfully, the sisters survived – with Chloe weighing 1lb 9oz and Condie and Courtney both 1lb 15oz.

And the sisters are all now in the middle of shaping their careers.

Condie is studying travel and tourism at West Nottinghamshire College, Chloe is studying beauty at Chesterfield College and Courtney – who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy – is also at Chesterfield College doing foundation studies.

To emphasise how much they have come of age, Condie and Chloe are going on their first ever girls’ holidays without their parents.

According to Amanda, all three sisters are aware of what happened to them but prefer not to dwell on it.

And they will always have big brother John, 25, to look out for them.

“Everyone wraps them in cotton wool because they are so precious,” Amanda said.

Amanda spoke to the Derbyshire Times in 2002 just before their second birthdays.

Back then she said: “They’ve reached two years old and to say they shouldn’t be here it’s quite amazing.

“And they are such clever, bright babies.”

The family will be celebrating the landmark birthdays in a special way – but that remains a secret for now.

On behalf of everyone at the Derbyshire Times, Happy Birthday Condie, Courtney and Chloe!