IT has taken 62 years and more than 500 letters, but lifelong pen-friends Helen Bowron and Beverley Bradley have finally met.

Despite living 12,000 miles apart, the two women have built up a friendship over the years which has stood the test of time.

And this week, Mrs Bradley flew half way around the world from her home in Nelson, New Zealand, to be with the friend in Ferryhill, south Durham, who started writing to her as a ten-year-old in 1942, during the Second World War.

Mrs Bowron first obtained her pen-friend's address while attending Bowburn Junior School, Durham.

The relationship got off to an uncertain start because she thought Beverley was a boy, only to be put right in the first return letter.

In those days, it took about a month for the letters to reach their destination, but they continued to write to each other on a regular basis.

There was a slight lull in their teens, when they both started dating.

However, from then on the friendship blossomed and their parents even began corresponding.

The women wrote to each other about the major events in their life; they were married at about the same time and both had three children.

Mrs Bowron named her middle daughter Beverley and has a grandson named Bradley.

The pair regularly exchanged photographs, but had never spoken until six years ago when Mrs Bradley phoned her from New Zealand.

After Mrs Bowron's husband, Jim, died two years ago, Mrs Bradley made up her mind to finally visit her friend.

On Wednesday, she touched down at Newcastle Airport after a journey lasting almost two days.

The women, now both aged 72, greeted each other as if they were sisters

Mrs Bowron said: "When she came through those doors at the airport, we just looked at each other and smiled and cried at the same time."

Her friend said: "It was wonderful and it feels as if I've known her forever."

Mrs Bradley plans to stay for a month.