HUNDREDS of couples have been trying desperately hard to do what Michelle and Mark Robinson have managed to do twice without even thinking about it.

For the couple are amazingly expecting not one but two millennium babies.

And that means their entire family have cancelled all millennium celebrations to wait for the momentous arrivals who could become mini-millionaires just by virtue of the time they are born.

The couple live in Old Gates Drive, Blackburn, and Mark works at Land-Rover Hillendale, Lomeshaye, Nelson.

Proud grandad-in-waiting, Michelle's dad Keith Clarke, said: "We were over the moon when Michelle said she was expecting, but when she said they were due on January 1, 2000, we couldn't believe it.

"My wife Maureen and I were due to go to Ibiza over the new year to celebrate our ruby wedding anniversary but that has been cancelled now.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world and we are absolutely thrilled. People say the first millennium baby will be worth a fortune, and we could have the first millennium twins. But we don't really care about that as long as they arrive safely." The new year twins are also being eagerly awaited by Michelle and Mark's seven-year-old son Cory Adam.

Experts have predicted that the first baby to be born in the new millennium will become a millionaire overnight through massive sponsorship deals and publicity stunts.

But that thought couldn't have been more further from Mark, 33, and Michelle's mind when they first found out about their impending dose of "double trouble".

Three months pregnant Michelle, 35, said: "We were trying for a baby but not a millennium baby and when we heard it was twins on January 1 it was even more of a shock. We are really pleased but all we really want is for them to arrive safely."

Proud dad Mark said: "I'm shocked but absolutely thrilled. Michelle always said she wanted three children, and now that Cory has got to the age of seven we thought we'd just end up with one."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.