FOR 65 years, Terry Condliff has celebrated his birthday on August 28 – until yesterday when an old nurse's book told him he was actually born a day later.

Mr Condliff was one of about 4,000 babies born at Willersley Castle, in Cromford, which was home to expectant mothers during the Second World War.

More than 50 people born at the castle – now a hotel – attended a reunion yesterday where they shared memories and looked at memorabilia.

It was during the reunion that Mr Condliff stumbled across a notebook entitled ''night records'', which revealed his real birthday as August 29, 1944. The 65-year-old, who lived in Tansley until he was eight, said he might now have to decide on which date to celebrate his birthday.

He said: "It was an amazing experience, flicking through it to find my name and then seeing that I was born a day later than everyone thought.

"I think my mother or my grandmother, whoever it was, must have registered me wrongly at the time but it's been that date ever since.

"I don't know whether to keep my birthday as it is or change it.

"If I do change it, I'll have a few letters to send out to let everyone know."

Willersley Castle was transformed into a maternity hospital from 1940 to 1946 so pregnant women from London could give birth in relative safety, away from the bombs.

Over the years, women from across the country were invited to give birth there and at its peak it is thought about 22 babies were born each week within its halls.

Mr Condliff, who works as a financial adviser in Lincolnshire, attended the reunion with his wife, Helen.

He said: "People came from all walks of life and most of us had never met before but we all had something in common.

"It was a fantastic experience to see all those people and hear their stories."

Ian Corbett's mother, Amy, travelled from her home in Bootle, Liverpool, to give birth at Willersley Castle in 1942.

Mr Corbett, aged 67, said: "Some of the tales that we shared at the reunion were brilliant and it was amazing talking to every person there.

"Our mothers came from all over the country and now their children have come back to the same place nearly 70 years later, which is quite something."

Simon Chandler, social organiser at the hotel, said: "The reunion was the first one we have held but it was such a success that we will hopefully make it happen every year."