A weekly newspaper has reunited long-lost friends after decades apart.

The Romsey Advertiser successfully helped Kenneth White to get in touch with sisters Eileen Ridley and Christine Fields, formerly part of the Chandler family, whom he had known in childhood.

Mr White wrote a letter to the Advertiser after writing a family history book called ‘Dorothy’s Life’, in which the two sisters feature.

He had hoped to give them a copy of the book, but the last known address for the pair in 1960 was not recognised.

Within hours of his appeal being published in the 25 February edition, Mr White, who now lives in Cumbria, had successfully made contact with the sisters.

The appeal’s success featured on the front page of last week’s Advertiser, pictured above.

Editor Kimberley Barber told HTFP: “It was our pleasure to help Kenneth. When he approached us, he was over the moon when I said we would happily help him by printing his letter and photograph.

“Then when he received a call with information within hours of our newspaper being published, he was delighted

“Thank you to Kenneth for sharing his story with us and thank you to our loyal readers for helping him.”

In a letter thanking Kimberley for her help, Mr White wrote: “Everyone is so excited. Christine is now only two hours drive away from me in Burnley so face to face meeting up is now soon possible. So we are now together again.”