PUPILS at a north Hampshire school could be forgiven for thinking they were seeing double after five sets of twins became their new classmates.

Staff at Hook Infant School, in Church View, Hook, were faced with the double challenge of learning everyone's name when the youngsters enrolled in the reception year at the beginning of the school year.

The twins - Liam and Ashley Thompson, Clara and Hattie Miles and Cameron and Jaiden Hall, all aged four, Jack and Harry Wall and Lucy and Eleanor Whittaker, all aged five - have been learning to write their names, trying out their new lunchboxes and above all, having fun as they begin their school life.

Headteacher Sally Willshire said that having so many twins is a first for the school.

"We have had triplets once, we have had two or three sets of twins, but we have never had five sets of twins all in one year group," she explained.

"We did talk to the parents before they started school, and each twin is in a separate class.

"Each one is very special and we want to make sure that we can get the best out of each child."

James Thompson, dad of Liam and Ashley, said that his sons have come on in leaps and bounds since they started at the school.

He said: "As they talk their own language to each other, I thought it was a good idea that they were split up, but then we were a bit worried that they wouldn't talk to anybody else. But they love it."

Mr Thompson, of Bellmeadow Road, Hook, added: "It is pretty shocking to have five sets in one school - we thought it was bad enough having one set of twins!"

However, multiple births definitely run in the family for Mr Thompson, as his father was one of a twin and his wife's cousins are twins.