An amazing coincidence has happened when the winner was announced for a competition held at The Strand Shopping Centre.

Nine year old Sasha Bailey of Douglas won the prize of a Dolittle’s animal party for winning the art competition, held in conjunction with the launch of the Manx children’s book ‘Bumble Big Ears and a Boy Called Eddie.’

Sasha collected her prize from the book’s author Sandy Huyton at The Strand, and has decided to hold the party on her birthday, April 16th. Remarkably, that was the exact date on which Bumble Big Ears - the rabbit in the book based on a true story - was born.

Even more remarkable is that Sasha’s dad - Kevin - also shares the same birthday! A hat trick of birthdays connected together by the book.

“I had no idea,” said Sasha. “When I arrived to collect my prize and opened the book at The Strand and saw that Bumble Big Ears had the same birthday as me I couldn’t believe it.”

“I thought they were joking,” said Sandy Huyton. “Bumble’s date of birth is in the book. When Sasha opened the book and saw the rabbit’s date of birth she was also amazed. And then when her dad said his birthday was on the same date, well it was just incredible.”

Runner up in the competition was seven year old Faey Cain of Union Mills who won a signed copy of the book.

•  Copies of the book ‘Bumble Big Ears and a Boy Called Eddie’ are available in The Strand Shopping Centre and at bookshops around the Island.

Photo - Book author Sandy Huyton and illustrator Alex McPherson with Strand Shopping Centre manager John Shakespeare as they hand over the prizes to Sasha Bailey and Faey Cain, aided by Father Christmas in his grotto at The Strand