SHE travelled to Huddersfield from Sweden as a teenager to work as an au pair.

Now she and the Almondbury woman for whom she worked have had a joyful reunion after a half-century apart.

Margareta Colajanni, 68, spent a “wonderful and memorable” six months in Huddersfield when she was just 17.

In February, 1961, she made the three-day boat journey alone from Gothenburg to Hull and then on to Huddersfield to live as an au pair with the Berry family, of Talbot Avenue, Edgerton, and to learn English at the Technical College.

Margareta went on to marry an Italian and have a family of her own, but she never forgot her time in Huddersfield.

Solicitor Donald Berry, wife Mary and their four children Tim, Stephen, Christopher and Monica treated her like one of the family. Although they met up once in Florence when Monica, now 61, was studying for her A-levels, they gradually lost touch.

Margareta tried in vain to trace the Berry family on the internet. So last week she and friend Ingrid Simert, 68, who was also in Huddersfield in 1961, took a leap of faith and made a flying visit to Huddersfield to try to track down the family 50 years later.

The intrepid pensioners flew from Sweden, a trip that took considerably less time than a half century ago, and checked into the Central Lodge Hotel in the Beast Market for three days.

They began walking around the streets, visiting their old haunts and asking people if they knew the family.

Eventually, with the help of the archive service at Huddersfield Library and cafe owner Gerrard John, they discovered that Monica was now called Mrs Wells and a meeting was set up.

The years rolled back as the two women came face to face for a happy and emotional reunion at Gerry’s at Neaversons Cafe in Byram Street.

Margareta said: “It was just wonderful. I looked into her eyes and saw that it was the young Monica straight away.

“It is just marvellous to be back together, so happy.

“Huddersfield was such a special time for me, it was all so new and different. I was treated like one of the family, I even went to Portmeirion on holiday with them.

“Everybody here has been so kind since we arrived.”

Margareta arrived at the cafe with some old photographs of her time here. She even still had the Portmeirion guide which she had saved from her Welsh holiday 50 years ago.

Monica, of Arkenley Lane, said: “I was only 11 when Margareta lived with us. We used to have a lot of fun. She was and still is a lovely person and a breath of fresh air. She was like a role model for me.

“It was just wonderful to meet again. It was almost surreal, like it was meant to be. It wasn’t like we had been apart for all those years.”

Gerrard helped to make contact with Monica and arrange the reunion after the Swedish pair had arrived at his cafe during their search and asked if he had heard of the Berry family.

He said: “I got into conversation with them and thought it would be easier if I helped them.

“I am elated that these two Swedish ladies found the young girl they were looking for. They were smiling and giggling for two hours when they met on Thursday. I feel honoured to have been able to help.” Margareta and Ingrid enjoyed wandering around Huddersfield town centre, Greenhead Park and Edgerton. They were even filmed at the Food Festival by Kirklees Council.

Their only disappointment has been that Rushworth’s Corner is now a restaurant.

They flew back to Sweden on Friday night – but not before Margareta and Monica had promised to stay in touch.