Leaping back to a big day for these Sunderland babies in 1984

Meet the little bundles of joy who were born on a special day 40 years ago.

Glenn Priddle, Chanel Harrison and Anthony Bulmer joined an elite group of people in Sunderland who shared the honour of being born on February 29 - Leap Day.

The three of them came into the world on February 29, 1984 and here they are on the day they made the pages of the Sunderland Echo.

Driving at four and drawing a pension at 16

Our story said it all at the time. The new arrivals would only get the chance to celebrate their February 29 birthday every four years.

It also meant they would 'get the chance to drive a car when they were four and draw a pension when they were little over 16'.

All of them were delivered at Sunderland District Hospital and the first to arrive was Chanel, who waited just half an hour into the day to arrive at 12.30am.

Mum Jeanette and dad Keith were over the moon and Jeanette told the Echo in 1984: "I am thrilled to bits. It is quite an achievement having a baby on February 29."

'It's quite something special'

Next came Anthony who weighed in at 6lb 9oz, and brought delight for parents Christine and Thomas.

Glenn was almost 7lb when he became the third of the February 29, 1984 babies to enter the world.

Dad John and mum Susan were thrilled and John, a guillotine worker at Sunderland Paper Mills, said in 1984: "It's quite something special. Glenn was not expected until next Tuesday at the earliest."

Meanwhile, another hospital was in the news for different reasons in 1984.

A 30-strong delegation of campaigners arrived in Sunderland to protest against the plans to take maternity services away from Thorpe Hospital in Easington.

They represented 12,000 people who had signed a petition saying expectant mothers would have to make a much longer journey to get to hospital.

Labour leader Neil Kinnock gave his support to their campaign.

But it's your Leap Year baby memories we want to collect. Get in touch and share them by emailing [email protected]