A MELTHAM woman and her penpal have met for the first time - after 49 years of letter writing.

Jennifer Winkley, 60, started writing to Marie Deadman, of Waverley, New Zealand, when they were aged just 11.

This week they met face to face for the first time at Leeds railway station.

Jennifer said: "It was quite nerve-wracking. You think you know someone, but you worry because you only put certain things in letters."

Marie is staying with Jennifer at her home in Briar Avenue, until October 2 and is being shown the sights of Huddersfield.

She has even met some of the Last of the Summer Wine cast!

She and Jennifer were walking on the canal bank from Slaithwaite to Marsden, where a scene for the soap was being filmed.

Jennifer said: "Marie and her husband love the show so we stopped to watch and she had her picture taken with actors from the cast. It made her day."

Jennifer is also hoping to introduce Marie to Huddersfield Rotary Club.

In New Zealand, women can join Rotary clubs and Marie is set to become president of the Waverley club next year.

Jennifer and Marie's long friendship started when Jennifer asked a schoolfriend to find her a penpal.

Jennifer said: "She had a penpal in New Zealand and I asked her to pass on my address to see if the girl knew anyone who would write to me.

"The girl was Marie's cousin. My friend and Marie's cousin didn't keep in touch, but we have."

The women discovered they had a lot in common.

Both are married and both have three children.

They share the same taste in flowers - and even sent each other the same bouquet for their 60th birthdays this year.

Marie is just one day older - her birthday was on August 8 and Jennifer's was on August 9.

Jennifer said: "Neither of us knew the other was sending flowers. We seem to be on the same wavelength."

Waverley is in the South Taranaki district on New Zealand's northern island.

Many of the streets are named after men of the 8th and 10th Companies of the Taranaki Military Settlers.

Waverley is near the home of famous New Zealand writer Rewi Alley.

Waverley has a wealth of historic sites, including a grade II listed town hall built in 1908, a railway station built in 1881 and a 1928 post office which is now a private residence.

There is a special memorial to Queen Victoria in Dallison Park.

Waverley has a clock tower, which was erected in 1925 as a memorial to people who died in World War One. A plaque was added for those who died in World War Two.