WHEN they were children, Albert and David Smith barely knew each other.

Their childhood on the streets of London was brought to a halt during the blitz.

During a night-time raid, a bomb from a Luftwaffe aircraft exploded inside their home. When the family returned the following morning, nothing much was left.

Having lost everything she had in the blast, their mother, Ada, had no option but to put Albert, David and their five sisters, Pat, Winnie, Grace, Doreen and Joyce, into care. At the time they were separated, Albert was seven and David was two.

Time passed, and the boys grew up. Yet, unbeknown to either, the brothers were following strangely similar lives at opposite ends of the country.

Albert, who lives in Norton, near Stockton, became a gardener working for the local council. His brother also took up gardening as a career.

David, from Wiltshire, had a son called Peter. So did Albert.

The pair even share a favourite hobby. In quieter moments they can be found fishing on the riverbank.

They even look the same - except for David's hair, which turned white overnight after his daughter, Louise, died from a hole in the heart.

David, 59, was unaware he had a brother until he tracked down his birth certificate earlier this year.

Their mother lived until 1968, but after the war she was dogged by ill-health and spent a lot of time in hospital.

The brothers also lost touch with their older sisters, and are hoping to track them down.

Albert, 64, said: "David has some memories of walking down an alley in London with an older boy, which must have been me, but he didn't know it was his older brother.

"In fact, he didn't even know I existed."

David, a retired Nestle's worker, used the Salvation Army to track Albert to Norton, where he has lived for 40 years. The pair met up two weeks ago and started to reclaim the lost years.

Albert said: "We got on very well, and discovered we had a lot in common.

"I am pleased he looked me up - we had a good time - and David is coming up to visit in the summer, when it is warmer up here."

Scientists say it is not unusual for siblings to live similar lives. The phenomenon is particularly acute among twins.

The most famous are US twins Jim Lewis and Jim Springer, who after 39 years of separation were both found to have married women named Linda, then later women named Betty.

Both had sons named James Alan and a dog called Toy. Both chainsmoked, had woodworking workshops and drove Chevrolet cars.

Psychologist Thomas Bouch-ard, who spent years studying the strange coincidences, said the personality traits of twins had a 50 per cent correlation.

* If anyone has information about David and Albert's sisters, contact Julia Breen at The Northern Echo on (01642) 675678