The mum and dad of Britain’s biggest family have thanked the nation for pulling them through the “heartache” of losing their baby.
Sue and Noel Radford were devastated when they lost child number 17 two weeks ago.
Sue found out at her 12-week scan that the baby due in April had died.
It came the day after she and her baker husband Noel, from Morecambe, Lancashire, spoke of their excitement at expecting just 11 months after giving birth to Caspar.
Their “much loved and wanted baby” would have been another sibling for Chris, 24, Sophie, 19, Chloe, 18, Jack, 16, Daniel, 14, Luke, 12, Millie, 11, Katie, 10, James, nine, Ellie, eight, Aimee, seven, Josh, five, Max, four, Tillie, three, Oscar, two and Caspar, aged 11 months.
“I can’t say I’m back to normal but I am beginning to feel a bit better and not so overwhelmed with grief,” said Sue, 38. “We couldn’t have got through this heartache without the support of you all and our family to help pull us through.”
Yesterday the Radfords planted an apple tree at their home in memory of the baby.
Sue added: “We will never forget. He or she will always be a big part of our lives.”
Thousands of people sent messages of support to the couple following their loss a fortnight ago.
The hard-working pair married when Sue was 18, four years after she first fell pregnant with son Chris. They celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary last week.
The couple’s latest addition, Caspar, was born in October in a labour lasting 16 minutes. Following his birth, Sue, who has had her babies in just 23 years at a rate of one every 17 months pledged to have even more.
The pair also became grandparents at the end of last year when daughter Sophie gave birth to Daisy.
The couple have yet to make an announcement on whether they plan to have more children.
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