The teenage years can be many parents’ biggest dread.
But Joshua Newman’s family are hoping his birthday celebrations won’t be jinxed this year as the youngster turns 13 today, Friday September the 13th in 2013.
The Colne Valley High School pupil will be celebrating with family and friends.
But Mum Joanne Atkinson hopes the doomed day won’t spell trouble for her usually well-behaved son.
Joanne, of Slaithwaite, said: “We’re hoping he’s not going to turn into a devil child, although we have seen some signs of him becoming a teenager already.
“He has always been really good so I’m hoping it will bring him good luck instead.”
Joshua, who has brothers Kyle, 20, and five-year-old Harrison, plays cricket for Slaithwaite.
And the keen young golfer is looking forward to getting a new set of golf clubs for his birthday.
Several theories have been put forward as to why Friday 13th is supposedly so unlucky.
One of the main theories states that it is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions – that 13 is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.
Records of the superstition are rarely found before the 20th century, when it became extremely common.
