A couple who have played mum and dad to 42 foster children have been recognised by the Queen in the New Year's Honours.

Superparents Joe and Rita Lansdell have been fostering for 37 years but are still not tired of tending to babies even though they are in their 60s.

Now their love and hard work has been rewarded as they are both to be made Members of the British Empire after being named in this year's New Year's Honours list.

They will each receive a medal from Her Majesty at a royal ceremony in the next few months for their services to children and families.

The couple, from Magdalene Close in Pound Hill, Crawley, said it was sometimes a difficult job but it had been rewarding looking after so many children, often from difficult backgrounds.

Rita, 62, said: "I opened my letter first and showed Joe when he was on the phone. He just gasped.

"Getting up in the night doesn't worry me.

"I do get tired and achy but it's such a worthwhile thing to do.

"If I didn't love them right from the start, they're not going to be able to love for the rest of their lives.

"It's just such an important job and I love doing it."

The couple moved to Crawley 25 years ago and celebrated their Ruby wedding anniversary in September.

They met when they were 14 and 15 and began fostering when Joe was only 25 in 1970.

Joe, 61, who used to be a training manager for Natwest, said the couple had always wanted children.

When they did not arrive immediately, they decided on the fostering route.

Their first foster child was Debbie, a 15-month-old baby who they looked after for nine months.

They are approved by West Sussex Social Services to look after children under five years and find babies easier to handle these days.

Joe said: "My wife has never had problems getting up in the middle of the night.

"I think her phrase is that I could sleep for England whereas she hears a sparrow cough at 30 yards'.

"Our youngest baby was 23.5 hours old. Changing nappies is not the most fun part of the job but the lasting memories are when you see them grow and develop and you think you must have something to be able to help that child move on."

He remembers one little girl 16 years ago who had foetal alcohol syndrome. Doctors said she would live in a vegetative state but she grew up healthy and they were delighted when she rang up to tell them her A-level results.

Joe said: "People have said they couldn't do this because they would get attached but you cannot do the job if you don't become attached. That's the whole point. You have a bond and love them. When they move on it breaks your heart and you die a little bit but you know you can do it because you've done it before and you build on experience.

"The most difficult time is saying goodbye. The little girl we just handed over is now 15 months. We're the only parents she's known.

"We worked with her new family in handing her over.

"On the final day as we were leaving and she was in her new dad's arms, she lifted her hand and gently waved goodbye to us. It brought a lump to my throat. That's the hard bit but it's also the best bit because we have done our bit."

The couple keep in touch with many of the children.

Joe and Rita have their own grown-up children too - John, 35, and Anne, 33.

The Lansdells always consulted them before any new placement and believe the experience has given their children a good perspective on life.

They credit their 36 years of continual giving to their support network, including their friends at Crawley Baptist Church and in their small close.

But Joe is not sure how long they can go on fostering.

He said: "We do wonder but then we have a break and see a baby in a pushchair. We go home and it seems awfully quiet."