AN old soldier is desperate to track down the two children he lost touch with when his first marriage disintegrated while he was fighting abroad during the Second World War.

Mr Frank Howarth, 82, was away for more than four years serving with the Durham Light Infantry from 1943 to 1947, but returned to a crumbling marriage.

He and his wife, Anne, were divorced and when Mr Howarth remarried, he considered his new wife's strong feelings and did not keep in touch with his children.

Then, just a few months ago, before she died, his second wife, Ada, told him she felt she had been unfair during the past years in stopping him seeing his children.

She urged him to find them again. Mr Howarth, who lives in Farnworth, said: "It was a typically sad wartime story.

"We lived in Exton Street, Daubhill, and the children went to Brandwood School.

"When I remarried I took my wife's feelings into consideration and stopped seeing the children.

"At one point I tracked my daughter down again to Radcliffe, but when my wife found out she was very upset, so I stopped seeing her.

"My daughter is called Glenys and was born in 1942. My son, a year younger, is Duncan Graham.

"Both took on the surname of their stepfather - Ormes.

"I know my daughter married and has children, who I have never seen.

"I thought of my family all the time and really regret losing touch. I would love to see them again."

Anyone able to help Mr Howarth track his son and daughter down, should telephone him on 574001.

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