When Maggi Chapman last saw her brother Robert it was across a dimly-lit room in the parlour of a London primary school, under the watchful eye of a nun.

The pair, aged ten and eight, apparently had little to say to each other having spent their early years in an orphanage and then separate schools in the east end of London.

Little did they know that the next time they would speak would be 58 years later at Maggi's new home in Sheldrake Avenue, Lower Grange, Bradford.

After spending almost a lifetime apart, Maggi, now aged 68, and Robert, 66, were finally reunited following an exhausting search.

And, on Saturday, they found they had plenty to natter about - with almost 60 years of catching up to do.

Maggi, pictured with Robert, finally traced her long lost brother via the internet and 69 speculative letters to everyone sharing Robert's name in the UK.

Fortunately, one of those landed on a doormat in Rain-ham, Kent, where Robert, lives with Jenny, his wife of 30 years.

"I just couldn't believe it when the letter fell through the door because we had been trying to trace Marg-aret for so long," said Robert, who visited Bradford to be reunited with his sister.

"I nearly fell on the floor with shock and I was quite bewildered by it all. Now we have met up and we are getting on smashing and we've got plenty of reminiscing to do."

Robert had tried for five years to trace Maggi but, without her married name, could not trace her. And it was only when Maggi turned to the internet earlier this month with the help of a friend that she made any progress in her hunt for Robert.

"We were just torn apart at an early age and that was it," Maggi said. "I lost contact with everyone and, although I managed to trace my sister a few years ago, I never managed to trace my four brothers.

"I went on the internet and found some addresses and then sent 69 letters out. I got some really warm messages back, which gave me real hope that there were decent people out there.

"Then on the Monday evening I received a phone call and the voice on the other end said: 'Hello Marg-aret, it's me, it's your brother Robert.' It was just wonderful and it took me a couple of days to calm down."

The two families spent Saturday together after Robert met his other long lost sister Joyce in Lincoln the previous day.

And, after toasting their reunion with champagne, they both said it was as though they had never been apart.