Joy as childhood sweethearts reunited after 70 years apart

Kent, England: Childhood sweethearts Beryl Martin and Les Hogan were reunited after 70 years apart when she found a book he had written.

Mrs Martin was on a 90th birthday trip with her daughter to her home town of Sheerness, Kent, when she spotted a book of poetry and a music CD by first love Les.

Daughter Ruth Reeves, 66, tracked him down through his publisher and the pair spent an afternoon talking about old times.

Ruth said: “When I mentioned her maiden name, Beryl Tubb, he immediately said: ‘She was my first girlfriend.’

"It was so exciting. It was lovely to hear them telling old stories.”

Mr Hogan, 92, said: “It was just incredible to see an old friend after such a long time.”

• .

  Keep Reading

• 
  Civil servants face the axe as Ruto seeks to ease ballooning wage bill
• 
  Police officer succumbs to injuries after Kikuyu market altercation
• 
  Woman abducted by househelp traces her home after 25 years
• 
  Nostalgia as former students reunite with teacher, 43 years later

The couple met soon after Mr Hogan, who grew up in Hong Kong, came to the UK aged 16.

The pair – who both went on to became teachers – lost contact when Mrs Martin, who now lives in Worcester, left the Isle of Sheppey to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service in 1943.

Mrs Martin wed in 1945 and was widowed in 2011. Mr Hogan has been married to Loy for 42 years.