Pen pals meet 44 years on (From Warrington Guardian)

Pen pals meet 44 years on

TWO friends finally got the chance to meet up after being pen pals on opposite sides of the world for 44 years.

Maureen Parker has been writing to her friend Pam Parker who lives in Australia since they were only 10 years old. The pen pals were first introduced through their primary school teachers and they have managed to keep up the correspondence throughout that time, but had never actually met face to face.

Maureen, who lives in Halton View, said of the first meeting: "We always said we'd never do it because it was difficult for me to go over there and for her to come here."

But just before Christmas last year Maureen got a call from Pam to say that she was heading over to the UK to visit her daughter Heidi who had moved to London. Earlier this month Maureen, along with her family surprised her long distance friend by visiting her at the hotel she was staying in during her UK tour.

The 54-year-old invited Pam and her husband David to stop with them for the night and were planning on showing them the sights and sounds of Liverpool.

They had picked a perfect day to spend in Widnes as it was the FA Cup final day and the couple got to experience the lively atmosphere before indulging in some traditional British fare.

Maureen said: "We were going to take them out for a meal but all they wanted was a fish and chip supper. It's made a heap of difference to letter writing now."

Maureen is hoping to return the gesture and visit Pam in her native Australia in the future.

Meeting up for the first time in more than 40 years Pam Parker (second left) and her pen pal Maureen Parker are pictured with their partners and Pam's daughter Heidi.