THE woman who gave birth to Brighton’s first recorded triplets has turned 100.

Brenda Matthews, who puts her long life down to a glass of sherry every night, gave birth to Sandra, Shirley and Trevor at Buckingham Road Women’s Hospital.

Sandra, now 69, said: “She’s amazing and she’s loved by everybody.

“She’s now got six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, and Rose turned three on her 100th birthday.”

Sandra’s father, 97-year-old Joe Matthews is not only still alive, but still driving.

He and Brenda married after meeting at London Road’s Woolworths.

During the war, Joe served in the Royal Navy and Brenda served as a colonel.

Sandra said: “It’s amazing, they’re nearly 200 between them.

“They’re a remarkable couple and have been married for 74 years.”

Sandra has told of her “wonderful” childhood as one third of Brighton’s most famous triplets.

A special entry had to be installed to their council home in Moulsecoomb as the pram could not fit through the front door.

As the triplets grew up, Joe worked as a tailor in the city and Brenda became a baker at Forfars.

The three children went to primary school in Moulsecoomb before heading to Stanmer secondary, which is now Falmer school.

Sandra said they were never short of clothes, with “dad knitting all the jumpers and mum making all the coats”.

She can remember receiving knocks on the door many times during their childhood from Argus reporters looking for the latest scoop.

They enjoyed regular Argus features until their 13th birthdays.

Sandra said: “We were all so identical, it was really funny.

“Me and my sister used to get fed up with being called twinsies.

“We had to have our names on us so people could tell us apart.”

Sandra says she and her sister were so identical that she once stood in for a date Shirley had agreed to.

She said the man “never knew” that he was going out with the wrong twin but she “dumped him anyway”.

The sisters have remained exceptionally close throughout their life and say they often share medical ailments despite living miles apart.

Sandra currently lives in Woodingdean, Trevor lives in Hull, and Shirley lives in Hailsham.