A woman in Australia has finally traced her childhood friend after searching for nearly half a century - and it turns out she lives around the corner from her family home in Bradford!

Carol Ort may be living on the other side of the world but her old friend, also called Carol, lives just a few streets away from her mum.

And in another coincidence the two Carols, now both 57, each went on to have three children and five grandchildren - two boys and three girls.

The two friends met as ten-year-olds, back in 1954, when they were being treated for chronic asthma at St Luke's Hospital in Bradford.

They haven't seen each other since they were 18-year-olds, when Carol Ort emigrated to Australia.

After a few years the women lost touch - until Carol Ort's mother Elizabeth Anness contacted the Telegraph & Argus.

"I'd just got back from visiting my daughter in Adelaide, Australia," said Mrs Anness.

"We had been looking at old photographs and she said how lovely it would be if she could see her old friend Carol Smith again.

"I said I'd ask the T&A to help. I never dreamt that I would hear from her so soon - or that she would only be living a few yards away!"

Following last week's T&A story appealing for information about Carol Smith, the two old friends have made contact - after 39 years.

Carol Smith, now called Holdsworth, said: "My daughter saw the story and told me straight away. I couldn't believe it.

"I was so excited. I rang Mrs Anness and discovered we lived just a few streets away! I live on Hopefield Way off Rooley Lane and she's at Burnham Avenue, off Rooley Lane.

"I moved away from Bradford for 13 years and have only been back just over a year."

Carol visited Mrs Anness yesterday, and they rang the other Carol in Australia with the good news.

"We both cried," said Carol.

"It was lovely to hear her voice again. It was like Cilla Black's Surprise Surprise programme!"

Now the two women plan to keep in touch and hope to meet up.

"It's all thanks to the T&A," said Mrs Anness, pictured hugging Carol Holdsworth.