Reporter Sue Plunkett on finding her best friend again after 48 years apart

Mine was a lovely girl called Caroline and we became pals when she moved into the house across the road from mine many moons ago.

I was about seven or eight and she was 10. She was very tall and pretty with a trendy feather cut that my unruly locks would never had been tamed into. Caroline seemed so grown up and confident and I was in awe of her. But I also sensed she was a very kind and caring soul, even at that young age.

As we didn’t go to the same school we didn’t see a lot of each other during the week but at weekends and holidays we loved playing out together with all the other neighbourhood kids.

At the risk of sounding like a ‘back in my day’ moaner, we didn’t have mobile phones or computers so you knocked on their front door if you wanted to see your pal. We played out rain or shine.

One year Caroline came on a short holiday with my parents and I to Scarborough. We were so excited at the prospect of it we rushed to the corner shop and stocked up on sweets for the journey. Trouble is we scoffed the lot before the bags were even loaded into the car!

And yes, you guessed it, we were both car sick for the entire journey and Caroline was poorly for three of the four days we were in Scarborough.

It was a sad day for me when Caroline moved to Blackpool due to her dad’s work. But for a couple of summers after that I spent a few days with her and her family at their sprawling home just outside the resort.. And Caroline’s gracious mum took us on the Pleasure Beach every night for the duration of my stay!

We kept in touch by letter (I still have them all) as we grew into our teens but lost contact when I went off to university and Caroline forged herself a very successful career as manager of a number of radio stations.

I thought about Caroline a lot over the years and it was good old social media that saw us re-connect. A colleague posted a photo of a family gathering and there was Caroline who happened to be her cousin.

I got in touch and we finally got together on a recent trip I made to Blackpool where Caroline still lives. The years melted away as we chatted and giggled together like we did back in the day, and I can’t tell you how good it was to see this beautiful lady who hasn’t changed a bit.

We had so much to catch up on and memories to share. Top of the list was the infamous Scarborough trip!

And that sense I had of Caroline being a caring person was correct. She spent several years devoted to caring for her late younger sister, Samantha, after she suffered a devastating stroke. And Caroline now cares for her elderly father who has dementia.

We had lots of laughs, and a few tears, seeing each other for the first time in what must be at least 48 years. I do regret that we lost touch, but that’s life I’m afraid and happens to so many people.

Now we have found each other again we are planning our next get together. There is one thing I know for sure though… it won’t be in Scarborough!