Rare celebration on the cards for lucky leaplings

Special date will be well worth waiting for

It might only come round once every four years, but there are a few Ashfordians who know that next Monday will be a bit special.

Claire Rodriguez, Louie Boorman and Chloe Ludlow are among those in the town who were born on February 29, making them ‘leaplings’ – born in a leap year.

For eight-year-old Louie, from Singleton, it will be only the second time he will mark his leap year birthday, and father Ben said he is lucky enough to get two birthdays each year.

He said: “None of his friends at school believe him when he says he is a leap year baby. It is a special thing and he celebrates each year on February 28 and March 1, because some of our relatives don’t think it should be in February. We believe he was born in February, so that is the best time to celebrate it. This year he will have a bowling party, and we are going to Legoland.

“In 2012 he was in the newspaper with Buzz Lightyear, but now he is more into Sonic the Hedgehog. He is now beginning to understand that not many people have a birthday on that date.”

For 16-year-old Chloe, from Willesborough, this year is an important one as she studies for her GCSEs at the North School, before hoping to begin her A-levels in September.

She said: “It’s quite nice because it makes me different, so it is a bit special.” Her mother, Vanessa, said: “It’s definitely a bit special. She is a millennium baby as well, as she was born in 2000. Normally we celebrate on February 28. This year she will have a few friends round and have a little party.”

Pre-school nurse Claire Rodriguez moved to Kingsnorth nine years ago but is originally from Bexleyheath.

She will be turning 40 and said she would be celebrating with her friends and family on March 5.

She normally celebrates on February 28. She added: “I suppose I did feel different as a kid, especially when it was a leap year, waiting for that extra day.

“I didn’t know anyone else around who was also born on February 29, so it is a bit special.”

Picture: Alan Langley FM4229131 Claire Rodriguez, right, with her mother, Jean, and daughter Ava

Picture: Alan Langley FM4229146 Chloe Ludlow will be 16; above, right, Chloe as a baby

Pictures: Alan Langley FM4229162/FM4229163 Louie Boorman will be eight on only his second ‘proper’ birthday; above, Louie with his father, Ben, and with Buzz Lightyear on his first leap year birthday