WHEN Bernard Swift's appeal to find relatives of two war hero brothers -- killed on World War Two bombing missions -- failed, he refused to give up.

The Wigan man, who had rescued medals and photographs of Leigh brothers George and Alfred Wilkinson, stuck doggedly to his mission, and his determination paid off.

This week he reclaimed the mementoes lodged temporarily with the Leigh archives department at Leigh Town Hall to present them to George's widow's son, Adrian.

George and Alfred were brought-up in Brideoake Street in Leigh and served with the same RAF squadron. They were lost within six weeks of each other in raids over Germany in 1942.

Pilot George, aged 30, was married to Phyllis and lived in Boothstown, while bachelor Alfred, 24, was an observer flying in Wellington bombers of RAF 150 Squadron.

Both men's names appear on a roll of honour in Leigh St Joseph's RC Church.

Mr Swift vowed to reunite the memorabilia with the family after discovering them stashed away following the death of a relative.

His appeals had no response so he decided on a different route. He contacted the RAF, registrars, a hospital, the Manchester coroner and Farnworth Co-op Funeral directors who came up trumps.

He discovered that George's widow, who died in 1980, had remarried and had a son born in 1955, who lives in Worsley.

The two men spoke for the first time this week and Bernard learned that he knew all about his mum's hero husband and that they had in fact visited his grave in Germany.

He said: "I am delighted to have found a home for the medals."