THEY had lost touch for almost half a century.

But there were tears and smiles as two Kirkburton brothers had an emotional doorstep reunion in Kirkburton this week.

Malcolm and Barry Hill met face-to-face for the first time in 47 years. For much of that time, neither knew whether the other was still alive.

The brothers lost touch after Malcolm left for Australia aged 18.

And it took a Kirkburton community police officer and an ex-wife to get them back together.

Now Malcolm, 65, and Barry, 61, are overjoyed to have found each other again after so many years.

Barry, who lives at The Crescent, said: “I am still in a dream, I still cannot believe it.

“I never thought I would see Malcolm again. I am over the moon that he is here.”

The story began back in 1964 when teenager Malcolm, who admits to being “a bit wild” in his youth, saw an advert for Australia in a newspaper. At the time he was working at Martins Mill, Kirkburton.

He paid the princely sum of £10 and flew to Sydney, where he was given board and lodging with a local family and soon found a job in a textile factory.

Over the following decades the adventurer had a variety of jobs, travelled all over Australia, married and had two sons, Shane and Daniel.

His jobs included postman, railwayman, pub worker and underground offsider at Mount Isa copper and silver mines.

Although he wrote to his mother for a few years, he lost touch completely with his Huddersfield family as he started travelling around.

Last year his ex-wife Robyn contacted Kirkburton Neighbourhood Policing Team website asking if anybody had information about Barry Hill.