​REUNITED: Sister and brother Christine and Joe Miele

A BROTHER who was reunited with his long-lost sister just six years before she died is appealing for mementos to remind him of the times they shared together.

Joe Miele and his sister Christine were brought up in separate orphanages in Torquay and did not know of each other's existence until they were seven years old.

Then they lost touch for 45 years until Christine reached out for family on website Genes Reunited.

She was living on Kythiria, a remote island in Greece which she had called home for many years.

Joseph and his wife Jean, who now live in Gloucester, visited Christine there in 2006.

They recently returned to the country for Christine's memorial service after she died of cancer aged 66.

Jean said: "It was only after her death that we realised what a truly amazing person she was. Despite her very difficult childhood, she led an extraordinary life."

Joe was brought up at St Vincent's Boys' Orphanage, Torquay, and Christine in St Mary's Girls' Orphanage, St Marychurch.

Joseph never knew he had a sister until the age of about seven when occasional visits were arranged between the pair.

Christine spent her teenage years in foster homes in Newton Abbot from about 1955 to 1962 and attended to St Joseph's R C School.

She attended dances at Denbury army camp with her friends and later worked in Maynard's sweet shop, Woolworth's, Austin's and Decoy post office.

Joseph and Christine lost touch in about 1962 when both left the care of Devon County children's welfare department and went their separate ways.

The siblings were reunited in 2005 when Christine was reaching the age of 60 without any family of her own.

Christine's friend put her name on the website hoping to discover a relative.

Jean said: "A week later Joseph was shocked to discover his long-lost sister.

"They corresponded until April of 2006 when we visited Christine on her beloved Greek island home of Kythiria, where she lived when not working in Athens."

Christine was very rebellious in her teens and 20s and was thrown out of the WRAF where she was training to be a nurse.

She backpacked throughout Europe while working as an au pair before spending a number of years working on cruise ships and finally settling in Greece.

Jean said: "If anyone remembers Christine from schooldays and might discover an old school photo hidden in a cupboard that includes Christine, or remembers her from work, we would love to hear from you."

Source: thisisexeter.co.uk