For the Horsforth youngster marks his ninth birthday today – the 9th day of the 9th month of 2009.

And for extra measure, his exact time of birth was 9AM!

Sonny, who was hoping to wake up to a present of a new BMX bike, said: "It's kind of cool. It's different from everyone else.
"Nine is definitely my lucky number."

Sonny, who goes to Horsforth's St Margaret's School, was born at Leeds General Infirmary in 2000.

But at the time mum Lisa Sedgwick didn't realise her son would have such a special birthday in years to come.

Secretary Lisa, who also has a five-year-old daughter Sasha with partner Dave Smith, said: "It hadn't crossed my mind – it was Sonny who worked it out.

"It's really nice for him to have a special birthday. No one else in his class will be able to say they were nine on the 9th of the 9th, 2009. There will be a few Millennium babies with quirky birthdays but the fact that Sonny was also born at 9am just makes it that bit special.
"The date will probably never come round again for him so it's a once-in-a-lifetime day."

The quirk of the calendar, which won't roll around again until September 2109, is thought, especially by the Chinese, to be an especially auspicious date.

Many Chinese brides will be taking the opportunity to tie the knot today because the Mandarin word for "nine" sounds like the word for "long-lasting".

In Chinese heritage, the number nine is also revered because it is the highest single digit number and is associated with the Emperor of China.