The friends who finally met in Sunderland after 45 years as pen pals

Two childhood pals proved the Atlantic Ocean - and the fact that they had never met - were no barriers to a long friendship.

Joyce Wright from Sunderland and Elaine Carpenter from Canada became pen pals at the tender age of 12.

Forty-five years later, at the age of 57, they were still writing to each other in June 1991.

And finally they met face to face when Elaine came over to the UK for a holiday.

The letter writing started when Joyce and with her classmates at Bede School, were enlisted to find pen friends in 1945.

Most of them stopped writing as their interest waned, but Joyce and Elaine kept on.

Joyce was at a loss to explain why their friendship lasted so long when the Sunderland Echo caught up with them both in 1991.

Elaine was loving her stay in Sunderland and planned to spend five weeks sightseeing.

If you can tell us more about this wonderful friendship, get in touch.

And if you had a pen pal whose friendship lasted for decades, tell us more by emailing [email protected]