A woman's 20 year obsession to compile her family tree has come to an abrupt halt in Bradford.

Helen Ely has spent two decades researching details of her ancestors' past spanning more than 200 years and ten generations.

She began her quest as a 14-year-old schoolgirl when she was set the task along with her classmates of compiling a family tree.

But the 34-year-old has drawn a blank over her great uncle Frederick Ely who lived at 6 Cragg Street, near Great Horton Road, Bradford, for more than a decade with wife Jane before his death in St Luke's Hospital on October 7, 1965.

Despite her efforts Helen, 34, who lives in Ipswich, cannot trace any of her great uncle's children or close family.

She said: "It's Frederick's family background which is stopping me from completing that generation of Elys in the family tree. He's the missing piece of the jigsaw.

"I know great uncle Fred was married to a lady called Jane and he went to live in Bradford in 1952.

"My father Charlie said the last time they came down to Ipswich they had a little boy with them called Arthur, who was about 12 or 13 - that was in 1959.

"So this Arthur could be in his 50s or 60s now and he could still be living in Bradford. I'd love to speak to him or anyone who can shed any light on Frederick and his family."

Helen said her task had taken 20 years because of the number of children each generation of Elys had produced.

She said: "Great uncle Fred was one of nine brothers and sisters and my father had six brothers and five sisters who've had 35 children between them, so you can imagine why it's all taken so long.

"It's definitely an obsession and I just hope somebody in Bradford can help me."

Contact Helen on (01473) 216108.