A WOMAN is to jet halfway round the world to see her son and grandchildren for the first time in 12 years.

But she won't be travelling alone to Perth, Western Australia.

For as soon as Marie Carter, 71, of Crosland Moor, told her family she was making the trip, 17 other members shouted: "Can we come too?"

And so Howard Carter is to meet his four brothers and sisters - and most of their families - all in one go.

Mrs Carter said she was very excited about the trip, which will be later this year.

She added: "My dad had been pushing me for a long time to go and see Howard, but I said I could not go and leave him.

"Sadly, he died at the beginning of the year at the age of 100, so I thought: `Right, I'm going to go'.

"There are 18 of us making the trip. It will be quite a party!

"Howard and Julie's children were only seven, eight and nine when they left Huddersfield. Now they will be 19, 20 and 21."

The holiday also coincides with the honeymoon of one of Mrs Carter's grandchildren, Wayne, who is Jane and Colin's son.

Mrs Carter has five children. Andrew, who married Lynn, has three children, of which one will be going to Australia.

Daughter Jane, husband Colin and their three boys will also be making the journey, along with second daughter, Helen, her husband, David, their son and daughter, son Russell and wife Pat and their twin girls.

"Howard got fed up over here. He used to work at Fred Shaw's sheet metal firm at Hillhouse, making ducting for supermarkets. It took him a while to settle in over there, but he is doing very well, making driveways."

Grand-daughter Alison is one of the two children unable to attend the get-together.

She is getting married shortly before the trip.