Nola Edmonds from Hamilton, New Zealand, goes over some old letters with Marlene Rae

FROM New Zealand with love...

That is Kiwi Nola Edmonds who arrived in Bolton this week to visit a lifelong penpal she describes as her "sister".

Retired Marlene Rae, of Hope Street North, Horwich, struck up a long-distance friendship with Mrs Edmonds when she was just 11.

Over the years the pair have exchanged hundreds of letters across the world.

But as Mrs Rae played host to her friend from Hamilton, New Zealand, she revealed that they had begun writing almost by accident.

"I wanted to write to somebody in England but when I did, for some reason I got about eight letters from New Zealand back," said Mrs Rae.

"It was a lovely surprise. I kept about three or four and passed the others on. Nola and I have kept up ever since. She's my longest standing friend. We almost grew up together."

Mrs Edmonds' daughter, Donna, came to visit Bolton 15 years ago but the penpals did not first meet until 1997 when Mrs Rae went Down Under -- half a century after they first wrote. Their touching story made national news in New Zealand.

"It was so emotional," said the Horwich woman. "We've found over the years we are so similar. We regard each other as sisters."

Mrs Edmonds said: "It seems she's always been part of my life. I think of her as my sister across the water and include her in my thoughts.

"We shared the transition from childhood to teenagers. We confided in each other and have been able to share a lot of deep personal things without fear of someone else being told."

In the fortnight Mrs Edmonds has spent with Mrs Rae, the pair have been to Edinburgh, London and even Ireland.

Mrs Rae plans a return visit to New Zealand next year but before then their friendship could undergo a technological revolution.

"I'm hoping to get on e-mail," said Mrs Rae. "I'll give it a go."