Newborn baby has a full set of eight great grandparents

A newborn Halesowen child will not be short of Christmas presents this year as all eight of his great grandparents are alive and well. Throw into the mix little Oliver Hayward’s parents and four grandparents and the little lad will be never short of a helping hand in life.

Father Rob, a music teacher aged 26, said: “It was amazing when he was born, all the grandparents and great grandparents were doing relay runs back and forward to Russells Hall Hospital so they could all see him.

“It is wonderful that everyone gets along so well and we will certainly never be short of a babysitter or two.” And everyone in the picture postcard of family happiness has put down the longevity of the seven marriages down to one thing - The Salvation Army.



Oliver’s mother Edwina, a primary teacher aged 28, said: “What is lovely is that the different sets of great grandparents will regularly see Oliver at The Salvation Army most Sundays.”

The four sets of great grandparents are all over the moon because Oliver is the first great grandchild for all of them.

Edwin, aged 84, and Dorothy Cox, 81, from Halesowen, Vincent, 76, and Catherine Hayward, 77, from Sutton Coldfield, Graham, 70, and Sheila Hinsley, 71, from Sutton Coldfield and Thomas, 86, and Kathleen Wilkinson, 83 from Cradley Heath all converged on little Oliver’s home for the historic family picture.