Balloons were out, cake was served and smiling faces were everywhere.

It was all in aid of one of Suffolk’s few dedicated clubs for families who have twins and multiples of children.

Yesterday, staff, parents and children from Capel and South Suffolk Twins and Multiples Club gathered to celebrate its fifth birthday.

The club has 26 families on its books, the majority of whom have twins, barring one set of triplets.

Fiona Farrell, 39, from Kesgrave, one of the volunteers who runs the toddler group, said the day had been “good fun”.

“It is a place for parents to come along and have a chat with others who are in the same boat,” she said.

“Obviously having twins and multiples can be very different to single babies and we have parentcraft sessions at the hospital [Ipswich] with staff telling families about our club and inviting them to it.

“People come from all over the place – from Ipswich and Capel and the surrounding villages. We’ve also got a group coming from the Colchester area.”

She has been running the group, which puts on sessions at Capel Community Church on Wednesdays between 10am-12noon, for the past 18 months with Rachel Bowman.

Mrs Farrell said the group caters for newborns through to five-year-olds and dads are more than welcome. The party also raised £30 for cancer charity Macmillan’s ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’.

More than 50 children go to the club. For more information call Mrs Farrell on 07739 848910.