A WORCESTERSHIRE man has finally met up with his long-lost sister 75 years after they last saw each other.

Albert Brunt of Badsey has been reunited with his sister Florence Pearson who were separated when they were children living in south-east London.

The 89-year-old was stunned when he met Florence last weekend, and gave his 85-year-old sister a big hug. It's been so long, he couldn't recall Florence at all, who was a lively 10-year-old back in 1927, but for his sister it was different.

"She remembered him as a lad dressed in a sailor's uniform, and never forgot him," said Florence's daughter, Hilary Lambert.

"My mum's memories are very hazy. She told me she was taken to a house by her mother Henrietta and just left, and she never saw her or her brother again."

Hilary explained that Florence had a hard childhood, with families she stayed with treating her like a servant. She ran away at the age of about 18, but became ill and ended up in a workhouse-style hospital in Dartford. The situation improved when the nurses befriended her and found her a job in service when she was 21.

"She became much happier, and was married to my father William for 40 years and had four children of her own. The reunion was wonderful. They both put their arms around one another, it was lovely - but not too emotional. It was the rest of the family who were quite tearful."

Mrs Pearson, who lives in Kent, stayed at the Wheatsheaf Inn, Badsey, over the weekend with her daughter who lives in Surrey.

It was Hilary who first embarked on the task to find her mother's family.

Searching

She started searching through the register of births, marriages and deaths in Islington for details of Uncle Albert and grandmother Henrietta, and then enlisted the help of the Salvation Army to locate Albert's current whereabouts.

She finally tracked down her cousins Pam Brunt from Badsey, and John Brunt, who lives in Overbury, which led to the happy reunion.

Both Florence and Hilary were taken on a guided tour of the Vale of Evesham, especially to Cropthorne where the Brunt family lived many years ago.

"I don't know an awful lot about dad's young life, only that his mother did try to contact him when I was a child but he didn't want to know," said Pam Brunt.

"He's had many jobs in the Vale including work at the Angel Hotel as a silver service waiter, and as a paint sprayer at Abbey Garage in Pershore.

"We all had a lovely time before they went back home on Sunday, and are looking forward to dad's 90th birthday next year."