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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Hayley Parker & Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell, 70, and partner welcome baby girl

Billionaire businessman John Caudwell has welcomed his seventh child as he and former Olympian Modesta Vzesniauskaite announced the birth of their baby girl.

The thrilled new parents have named their adorable daughter Isabella Sky.

The couple confirmed their second child together arrived at 10.40pm yesterday on social media this morning.

One of Britain’s biggest philanthropists and among the UK's biggest taxpayers, Caudwell, 70, described the birth as 'one of the most beautiful experiences' as he shared three sweet snaps of the new arrival.

Mr Caudwell, who grew up in Wellesley Street, Shelton, and still has his main home in Staffordshire, addedthat Modesta "was so happy she couldn't stop laughing and crying.

The couple says they couldn't be happier (Getty Images)

"I felt much the same. We look forward to introducing Isabella to her brothers and sisters, family and friends."

The couple welcomed their son, William John, in 2021 after struggling to conceive for three years.

Phones 4u co-founder Mr Caudwell - who gives millions to charities each year - is already a father to Rebekah, aged 42, Libby, aged 34, Rufus, aged 25, Scarlett, aged 20, and Jacobi, aged 18.

John Caudwell and Modesta Vzesniauskaite have also announced the newborn's name (Instagram)

And former Lithuanian Olympic cyclist Vzesniauskaite, 39, has an 11-year-old son Leonardo from her first marriage.

The couple share their time between Broughton Hall near Eccleshal, Monaco and London, as well as trips on their yacht Titania.

Modesta's Lithuanian family were welcomed to Broughton Hall for an extravagant baby shower last month.

She recently told Hello! Magazine: “We weren’t planning to have another child at all so it was a beautiful surprise."

Modesta gave birth to William John in 2021 after struggling to conceive for three years (ugc)

With his brother Brian, in 1987 John registered Midland Mobile Phones as a mobile phone wholesaler taking 26 Motorola mobiles at £1,350 each.

It took eight months to sell all 26 phones to plumbers, taxi drivers and television repairmen at a price of £2,000 each. The company made a loss every month for the first two years of operations.

However, the business then grew exponentially and he sold Phones4u in 2006 for just under £1.5 billion. He has since concentrated on his charity work including setting up Stoke-based Caudwell Children.

Mr Caudwell, who sold his Phones 4u empire for £1.5billion, grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, with his mum working in a post room, while his dad was employed by an engineering company.

He owns a string of incredible homes ((C) 2021 DAVID ENGLISH)
John Caudwell on Instagram with his family (johncaudwell/Instagram)

He also owns Britain's most expensive home - a £250millon Mayfair mega-mansion, which includes a 120-capacity ballroom, 15 bedrooms, bar and cinema.

It was previously two homes knocked together - one of which was previously owned by Prince Jefri, brother of the Sultan of Brunei.

It contains an indoor river with fish, and a vertical garage to show off his vintage motors.

In 2021, he told the Times that he found becoming a dad again later in life "psychologically" challenging because he feared not being "around long enough to teach my values and my ethos and to help them be successful in whatever way.

"I'd like to be around for William when he's 18, to help him find his path in life and teach him all the things that I believe in. So, from that point of view, that's a negative.

Caudwell previously declared he plans to leave 70 per cent of his wealth to charity.

"They'll still be filthy rich," he told the Mirror in 2015. "They can still ruin their lives."

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