Mother-of-eight talks of her Mother's Day Pride

WHEN mum-of-eight Dorcas Binns wakes up tomorrow morning, she does not expect an avalanche of presents – just a cup of tea and muesli, served in bed.

Though it seems likely at least some of her children – Alfie, four; Amelia, 11; Henry, 12; Jonty, 15; Sophia, 16; Kate, 19; Victoria, 21 and Robert, 22 – will have gifts lined up for her too.

YOU'RE THE BEST: Dorcas Binns with Alfie, 4, Henry, 12, Sophia, 16, Amelia Binns, 11, and Katherine, 19. Far right: The family in 2006, including Jonty, back left, Robert, middle back, and Victoria, back far right.

"I get breakfast in bed, which is nice," said Dorcas, 43, of Minchinhampton. "They ask me the night before what I would like for breakfast and it's just muesli and a cup of tea."

But by 8.10am Mother's Day niceties will be put aside, because Henry is King's School, Gloucester's, head chorister.

"Mothering Sunday starts at 5pm really," she explained. "Each day Alfie has been coming back from nursery in Minchinhampton with 'secret' things for Mothering Sunday," she said.

"He has made some very nice paper flowers, a dried flower card, and a few other things, though I am not really sure what they are.

"Sophia has a bag with "Mummy, with love and kisses" too."

Her children span a generation, from pre-school to the world of work.

Durham University student Victoria is in the second year of a psychology and philosophy degree and may not be home tomorrow, though Robert, a graduate who works as a tax accountant, should be.

Kate is at home working hard to get the grades she needs to win a university place.

Former King's chorister Jonty will be joined at King's by Amelia and Sophie in September.

Alfie, who loves singing, may also become a King's chorister.

With Robert having been away, and Victoria at university, it's given Dorcas a taste of what it feels like when children fly the nest for good.

Dorcas, who has served as both a Nailsworth town, and Stroud district councillor, recently resigned from the town council but plans to stand again soon.

"You get used to them being away and there is Facebook, and texting, which helps us keep in touch far more easily than youngsters used to when they went away to study."

She and David, a young 68, have no plans for more offspring. "We have done our bit, we can leave that to someone else," she added.