A CHANCE meeting at a new library resulted in two men discovering a family link.

Phil Clark, of Framwellgate Moor, Durham, called at Durham's new Clayport Library shortly after it opened, on Monday, to research the history of the Mahan family.

Mr Clark, whose mother was descended from the Mahans, has spent eight years looking into the family's background.

As he asked library staff for help, a man standing nearby heard his surname being mentioned.

A few words were exchanged and it turned out the two men were related.

Louis Mahan, originally from Durham, made a special trip from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, to use the library's historical database.

He was stunned to hear that someone else was there for exactly the same reason.

Mr Clark said: "It really was a pretty stunning thing to happen.

"I had called in to look at the St Catherine's House index and, when I mentioned the name, the man on my left looked up.

"It turns out we had a common ancestor back in 1850, who was twice my great-grandfather and three times his great-grandfather."

Since their chance encounter, the men have kept in touch by email and they have also swapped research about the family, which Mr Mahan has been studying for three years.

Anita Thompson, information services and local studies officer at the library, said: "It was a great thing to happen on our very first day.

"I don't think any of the staff could believe it."