A TALACRE man has been re-united with the sister he never knew he had.
Peter Hughes, of Station Road, met sister Paula Nicholson, 59, for the first time last month after being put up for adoption aged just five months old.
The siblings were put in contact by an adoption agency after Peter, 66, began searching for information on his birth mother following the death of his adopted parents.
“I didn’t want to do anything until my adopted parents died, but my mother died age 101, so I’ve only just been able to search,” he said.
“I started off looking for my birth certificates, as I know I was adopted when I was young. The adoption agency got in contact with my certificate, and asked if I wanted to look for my mother. Sadly she died in the 1960s, but they also told me I had a sister.
“We spoke on the phone and then in December we met up. I had originally planned to surprise her on New Year’s Eve, but I just couldn’t wait. When we first met we ran to hug each other, it’s like we’ve known each other all our lives.”
Peter, who was born in High Wycombe, met Pauline at her home in County Durham, where she moved with her grandparents at the age of seven following her mother’s death.
As well as meeting his sister, Peter was introduced to brother-in-law Dougie, nephew Steven and niece Ellen.
The brother and sister are now looking forward to meeting up again at Pauline’s 60th birthday party later this year.
Peter’s wife Ann described the similarities between the newly re-united pair.
“When they’re together you can see that they’re the same - their looks, their mannerism, their humour, they’re just the same.”