Andy Spiers from Barlestone, left, with his dad Graham Corbett, who have been reunited after decades apart thanks to Facebook. Photo: SWNS

A father and son have been reunited after decades apart thanks to social networking site Facebook.

Graham Corbett had not seen his son, Andy Spiers-Corbett, since he was about two years old, despite each man attempting to locate the other over the years.

Mr Spiers-Corbett, now 39, finally found his father after he typed his name into Facebook last month and picked him out of a list of Graham Corbetts on the site.

Mr Spiers-Corbett, from Barlestone, Leics, said: ''It has always been in my mind, constantly. Sometimes it just pops into my head. I just didn't have a history, it felt like it needed to be done.

''I had tried before on Facebook but no one came up, but when I tried this time there were about 15 Graham Corbetts.

''I looked through them all and there was a few I thought could be him, then his face popped up and my heart started pounding, there were tears in my eyes and I knew it was him.

''It was like looking at myself when I'm 60.''

He contacted his father and the pair arranged to meet. Mr Spiers-Corbett, who is retired after serving in the Royal Armoured Corps, was also introduced to his two half-brothers and half-sister.

He said: ''It was strange, but he has told them about me so it was like I had been in their lives anyway.

''It was easier for them because they knew about me, but they greeted me with open arms and hugs."

Mr Corbett, from Evington, Leicestershire, met his 11-year-old grandson from his son's previous marriage.

He said: ''It's absolutely unbelievable, I've been looking for him for so long.''

He said he had sent a birthday card in April to someone he thought was his son but turned out to be the wrong person.

''I explained I had been looking for him for years and years,'' he said.

''Once we got talking on the phone he said he wanted to come and see me so he came round at 7.30pm that night – he didn't leave until 3.30am. We just talked and talked and talked.''

He said he had tried to track his son down, but had narrowly missed him on two occasions, when his family had moved on.

He added: ''It's just great to have him back, and he's met all his family.

''As soon as they heard he was coming over, my sons and daughter wanted to meet him. Even my ex-wife has met him because she knew all about him.''

Source: telegraph.co.uk