Otley schoolchildren celebrate first birthday in four years! (From Wharfedale Observer)
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Two leap year birthdays in same class
8:46am Thursday 1st March 2012 in Schools
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‘Leaplings’ Ben Smith and Lucy Habin, who were both born on February 29
A pair of Otley schoolchildren have celebrated their birthday for the first time in four years.
Otley All Saints Primary C of E School pupils Ben Smith and Lucy Habin, who both turned eight yesterday, could make a decent stab at claiming they are only two years old.
Because the Year 3 pair are both 'leaplings', born on February 29, and have seen only two birthdays since they entered the world in 2004.
On non-leap years, like other leaplings around the world, Lucy and Ben have had to work around the problem and celebrate either a day before or a day ahead, on February 28 or March 1.
A spokesman for the school said: "We haven't had many children who were born on February 29 and to have two in the same class is certainly unusual.
“It can't happen very often."