REFEREES appointed to Freshford United matches this season could be seeing double not once, not twice, but three times.

Hugh Fulton, manager of the Trowbridge and District League side that have just been elevated to the league's top flight, can call on the services of three sets of twins Mathew and Stuart Arnold, Toby and Jack Parsons and Dean and Russell Stritch.

The Arnolds and Stritches are identical twins.

Scottish born 23-year-olds Matt and Stuart both work in computers, while Bath-born Dean, a financial adviser, and Russell, are also 23.

Russell scored five goals on his debut against Lavington and Easterton last season but has since been playing as a defender.

Seventeen-year-olds Toby and Jack, who live at nearby Midford, are products of the Freshford Youth side and have also turned out for Bath Arsenal.

Both boys are in their final year at Ralph Allen School in Bath where they are studying for their A levels.

The club can also boast two sets of three brothers, all six having the surname Birleson.

The father of one of the set of brothers is Ken Birleson, who has been chairman and club linesman at Freshford for almost 15 years.

Goalkeeper Chris and midfielder Dave are Ken's sons and they will soon be joined in the squad by their brother Paul, a hydrographer in the Navy, who will be registering to play for Freshford in the league in October

They will also be joined by their three first cousins, who are the sons of Ken's younger brother Ian, who is a custody officer with Wiltshire police.

Jamie works at the Limpley Stoke Hotel, and Neil is a navigation cadet.

Ian's third son, Mark, is currently in the club's youth side and is expected to sign Trowbridge League forms next season.

Ken Birleson said: "Having three sets of twins and six players with the same surname must be very unusual at any level of the game.

"Recently we were able to put out a five-a-side team of all Birlesons in the Bath league."