TWO friends who have not seen each other for 33 years are to be reunited - thanks to a little help from the BEN.

Margaret Aliprandi left Bolton for Scotland, and then later moved to Australia in 1972.

She lost touch with her friend, then called Brenda Harvey, who later re-married. But on a current visit back to Bolton, Margaret decided to try to contact her old friend.

Through the columns of the BEN she appealed to anyone who could help find Brenda to get in touch with her.

And after several telephone calls in response, each able to give small pieces of information about Brenda's whereabouts, the woman herself got in touch.

The pair, who used to live on Union Road, Tonge Moor, are now set to meet next week before Margaret returns to her home in Sydney, Australia.

Margaret said: "I am delighted to get back in touch with Brenda and would like to thank the BEN and everyone who rang as a result of the piece which went into the paper."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.