Sue and Noel Radford, the parents of Britain's largest family, have announced the heartbreaking loss of their 17th child. In a statement, the couple said their baby's heartbeat had stopped two days before a 12-week scan, leaving them 'utterly devastated beyond words'.
The couple had revealed at the weekend that they were expecting another baby in April, 11 months after the birth of their 16th child, Casper. They said they were 'thrilled' about the pregnancy.
Sue Radford, 38, said she had previously suffered two early miscarriages and had thought her family was complete before discovering she was pregnant again. The Radfords, from Morecambe, Lancashire, have 15 other living children ranging from 24-year-old Chris to two-year-old Oscar.
The family rose to fame after appearing in a Channel Four documentary when they had 15 children. Despite the significant cost of raising such a large family, the Radfords have refused to claim benefits.
