NEWBORN Lilly Askew has become the latest addition to a family of five generations of girls spanning more than 80 years.

Tom Potter

NEWBORN Lilly Askew has become the latest addition to a family of five generations of girls spanning more than 80 years.

Lilly was born 15 days early on Christmas Eve, becoming the youngest in the female line of a family which spans almost a century.

The oldest of the five generations is great-great-grandmother Jean Barrett, a former waitress who has lived in Ipswich for all of her 81 years. She currently lives in Heathlands Park.

Great-grandmother Jan Quinton, 60, lives in Didsbury Close, while 40-year-old grandmother, Kim Netzel, hails from Sandpiper Road.

Whenever 22-year-old new mum Natalie Horlock needs to find a babysitter, she can call on any one of the girls, who all live within a few miles of her Braziers Wood home.

The family could come up with no explanation as to why it seems they all have female but they were all agreed on how exciting it was to welcome the arrival of Lilly.

Mrs Quinton said: “I was thrilled to bits when Lilly came along. I'm pleased to see number five come along and if I live to 100, who knows?”

Mrs Netzels revealed another intriguing similarity shared by the family, saying: “Not only are we all girls, but we're all first-born children as well.

“We get together quite often and see each other at least once a week. I think the men like having so many girls in the family.”

Mrs Netzels husband Danny spoke up for the men, saying: “There are more girls than boys in the family and they like to think they're in charge!”

The girls:-

THE BABY: Lilly, born on Christmas Eve.

THE MUM: Natalie, 22

THE GRANDMOTHER: Kim, 40

THE GREAT-GRANDMOTHER: Jan, 60

THE GREAT-GREAT-GRANDMOTHER: Jean, 81