Brothers Damien, Daniel and Robert Holt believe they could be Britain's first three male siblings to head for a career in nursing.

Twins Damien and Daniel, 22, and their younger brother Robert, 17, pictured, are following in the footsteps of their father Brendan, who also trained in the same profession.

Even their 16-year-old sister Elizabeth, a pupil at Salt Grammar School, Baildon, wants to become a nurse.

Mum Cath is the odd one out in the family, of St Helier Grove, Baildon - and she works as a nursing-home administrator!

The brothers are all studying to become psychiatric nurses like their father and Daniel will go to work in an Australian hospital for two months as part of his course at Newcastle University.

Damien, who is studying for an advanced diploma in psychiatric nursing at Bradford University, said: "A lot of people think of nursing as a woman's career. I think that all goes back to the Florence Nightingale image. But men sometimes like people of their own gender to talk to and male nurses are authoritative in psychiatric nursing."

He said he hoped to get a job at Lynfield Mount Hospital, Bradford, or Airedale General Hospital, Steeton.

Robert, who is studying at Shipley College, is due to go to Bradford University in September to do his nursing diploma and chemistry.

He said: "We all grew up with everybody talking about nursing and I think psychiatric nursing is the most interesting job a person can do. But I'm doing chemistry as well to try to get into medicine."

Daniel said: "You are dealing with the unknown in psychiatric nursing and I can't wait to work in Australia."

Brendan, proprietor of the Kingston nursing home in Leeds, said: "It isn't uncommon for several girls in a family to become nurses. But I have never heard of three brothers. I think it is probably a record.