George Culwick, 87, became separated from sister Lucy Heenan, 88, when he began travelling all over the country with his engineering firm in his 20s.

But three months ago the pensioner attended a family ancestry meeting and discovered through another relative that Mrs Heenan had been living in Langley, Birmingham – a few minutes away from the home in Quinton in which he lived for decades.

"I thought Lucy was dead because I hadn't seen or heard of her for so long, so this has all come as a real shock," said George. "Meeting her again after all these years was very emotional, we didn't do much talking to start with. It is a bit sad that we've missed out on 60 years together, but we're having to make up for lost time now.

"I'd had no way of getting in touch with Lucy before this because I didn't know where she was. It is strange that we were living so close to each other and yet we had no idea. Since we were reunited, we have met each other's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My family like having a new auntie, especially as she makes such a fuss of them."

Source: Telegraph.co.uk