Festive feud

Row over pies splits Britain's biggest family

- CHRISTINE SMITH

FOR many households, Christmas is a time when squabbles are put aside as everyone gets together to enjoy a relaxing turkey dinner. Or at least try to...

But for Britain's biggest family, it is proving to be difficult as two of the 22 children have not been speaking for nearly 18 months after falling out over a shelf of frozen pies at the bakery their parents own.

The rest of the Radfords will spend Christmas hoping Chloe, 28, and Luke, 23, can patch up their differences in time for the annual meal, but there is little sign of that so far as the strong-willed pair are still at loggerheads.

In a bid to address the problem, mum Sue and dad Noel - tired of pleading with the once-close siblings have taken drastic action by inviting an intervention counsellor into their 10-bedroom home in the hope of finally getting them back on speaking terms.

Sue, 48, said: "To see them not speaking has been really, really hard.

"Especially as when we look back over the years and see how close Luke and Chloe were.

"But they are both very strong willed and stubborn.

Noel, 52, added: "The longer it goes on, the harder it gets. There has been no backing down first.

It's not nice to see them not talking to each other." Chloe and Luke's feud is one of this year's big stories in the family's Christmas Channel 5 special of their hit 22 Kids and Counting show.

For Sue and Noel, everyone speaking is the only present they want, as they prepare for another mammoth dinner.

Married for more than 30 years, the couple are also parents to Chris, 34, Sophie, 29, Jack, 26, Daniel, 24, Millie, 22, Katie, 21, James, 20, Ellie, 18, Aimee, 17, Josh, 16, Max, 14, Tillie, 13, Oscar, 12, CHRISTM Casper, 11, Hallie, eight, Phoebe, seven, Archie, six, Bonnie, five and Heidie, three.

Sadly, the couple's 17th child, Alfie, was stillborn on July 6, 2014.