Macca about to become a dad again

As a father-of-four Paul McCartney may well be used to the pitter-patter of tiny feet but at the age of 60 and the expected latest addition to his clan may just prove the biggest handful.

Paul’s last child, James, was born a quarter of a century ago when the former Beatle was still a young man.

He is now eligible for a bus pass and will soon be thrown back in to the world of sleepless nights and dirty nappies.

But the music legend is not alone and will join an ever-growing band of older fathers experiencing the ups and downs and children later in life.

At 47, Tony Blair was a relatively young “older dad” when Cherie gave birth to Leo in May 2000.

The british PM, who ruled out taking formal paternity leave, was warned at the time that what might be a tiring slog in your 20s and 30s could feel 10 times tougher the older you get.

TV favourite David Jason experienced fatherhood for the first time at the age of 61 when his girlfriend, Gill Hinchcliffe, gave birth to daughter Sophie Mae in February 2001.

Charlie Chaplin is among the most famous of older fathers and was in his 70s when his youngest of 11 children, Christopher, was born.

When most would have been expecting him to be thinking about grandchildren, if not great grandchildren, Star Trek actor James Doohan – Scotty in the cult series – welcomed his daughter Sarah into the world soon after his 80th birthday in 2000.

TV presenter John Humphrys became a father again at the relatively young age of 56, three decades after his first family arrived.

And Hollywood star Anthony Quinn fathered two children with his former secretary Kathy Benvin, while in his 70s.

Veteran actor Ron Moody, who played Fagin in the 1968 classic Oliver, was 62 when his first child was born and now has six children.

He said previously: “Being an older parent, you do have more knowledge and more sense of what you want to pass on to children. You are less wrapped up in yourself.”

Michael Douglas was 55 when Catherine Zeta Jones gave birth to her first and his second child in 2000 while rock legend David Bowie was 53 when he became a father for the second time also in that year.

Bowie assisted with the delivery by cutting the umbilical cord as wife and model Iman gave birth to Alexandria Zahra Jones.