Shropshire quads ready for christening

Meet Evelynn. Rosaline, Gracie-Lou and Amalia-Rose, four very special little girls from Shropshire. The six-month-old quadruplets have a big day tomorrow – their christening.

Proud parents Charlene Medlicott, 20, and Mark Connaughton, 26, are having their daughters christened at St Michael's Church, in Madeley.

More than 100 family and friends have been invited.

And vicar Rev Rosemary Freeman could be forgiven for any confusion. The quads are made up of two sets of identical twins and will each be dressed in identical traditional christening gowns and shoes – but with their own style of hairbands to set them apart.

Evelynn Lillian Julie and her twin Rosaline Anita Mae together with Gracie-Lou Anne and her twin Amalia-Rose Rachael were born prematurely on December 11, 2011. They each spent several weeks in neo-natal care before their parents could bring them home to Sutton Hill in Telford.

Tomorrow's service will be especially poignant for their father. Mark said he wanted them christened in memory of his grandfather, who died when he was eight.

"I am looking forward to it. My grandad made sure every grandchild was christened and we were very close so I wanted to carry on his tradition," he said.

The couple are also planning another special date as they hope to get married in June 2014.

And they already have four little bridesmaids lined up.