THIS trio of children are all sharing a very special birthday today – by turning 11 on the 11th of the 11th, 2011.

Celebrating today is the aptly named Poppy Sale from Fulwell, while Callum Clapton Matheson from Bicester almost achieved an even more perfect numerical birthday feat – missing out only by 20 minutes on being born at 11am.

They are joined by Charlotte Hanley, from Kennington, with their perfectly formed, once-in-a-century birthday.

Poppy, who lives with her mum Kim, 38, Dad Tim, 42, sister Ruby, six and brother Fenton, four, in Fulwell, near Enstone, was born at the then Chipping Norton Community Hospital.

Mum Kim Fazackerley-Sale said: “It wasn’t until Poppy turned 10 last year that Tim and I realised she would be turning 11 on 11/11/11 and it has been quite exciting looking forward to it.”

Poppy was born three days early and it wasn’t until a few hours after her birth, when her mum heard the stirring sound of a band and bugles coming from outside the hospital, that she realised it was Remembrance Day.

She said: “I had actually decided to call her Poppy before that, but when people started to come in to visit and heard her name they automatically thought it was a tribute to the day and I suppose it did turn out to be a very fitting.”

Poppy said: “When I told my friends my birthday was on 11/11/11 they couldn’t believe it.

“I am having a party tomorrow but I was allowed to have my present, an old-fashioned dolls house, early.”

Callum, a Glory Farm school pupil from Ruskin Walk, Bicester, was born at the JR Hospital at 10.40am on November 11.

His mum Rachel Matheson, 33, said: “We were all thrilled when we realised that Callum would be turning 11 on 11/11/11, especially him. He is autistic and also has Asperger’s syndrome so it’s a special birthday and very exciting.

“When Callum’s head teacher, Mr Ducker, asked the class what made November 11 so special, some of the children answered: ‘It’s Poppy Day’, but Callum said: ‘It’s my birthday 11/11/11.’ She continued: “To tell you the truth, it didn’t really sink in that Callum had been born on Remembrance Day at first. But it has been very special for him over the years to be associated with Poppy Day.”

Asked why he was looking forward to his 11th birthday so much, video game fan, Callum said: “It’s a very lucky date. And I am also having an X-Box 360 with two games.”

Mrs Matheson is also planning to surprise Callum with a birthday cake at school, just after the 11 o’clock two minute silence.

Charlotte’s mum Sarah Hanley, 40, who is an early years teacher at the 11-year-old’s school St Swithuns, explained: “Charlotte was born two weeks early, and seemed in a real hurry to arrive on November 11.

“I realised she was going to have this very special birthday date a short while ago when I read an article about a child turning eight on the ninth of the tenth of the 11th. Suddenly I realised Charlotte would be 11 on 11/11/11 and for the last few weeks we have all been on countdown in our house, waiting for 11/11/11 to come around. It has been pretty exciting.”

Charlotte was thrilled to receive horse riding lessons for her birthday.