AFTER not seeing each other for more than 50 years, East Lancashire school pals Bob Pearson and Jack Bannister met up in the shadow of one of the world's most famous landmarks -- thanks to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

The two renewed their friendship Down Under in Sydney, Australia, after meeting up by the city's famous Harbour Bridge.

For 74-year-old Jack and Bob, who is eight-months-younger, grew up and went to school together in Blackburn during the 1930s.

Until their reunion, they had not met for 57 years -- and might not have got together again at all had not former Army regular Bob set about writing a book about the boyhood years when he and his best pal, Jack, lived in Bastwell Road.

An episode of his recollections of those days and later of wartime in Clayton-le-Moors appeared in our 'Looking Back' nostalgia column -- along with appeals for information to fill gaps in his memory -- just as Jack was about to set off with his wife, Nora, from their home in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, for a month-long holiday in Australia to celebrate their golden wedding.

Jack's sister, Mrs Edith Towers, of Patterdale Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, sent him a copy of the article in which Bob, who settled in Australia more than 30 years ago, recalled events in Bastwell Road on the day in 1939 when the Second World War broke out.

The 'lads' got in touch and made a date to meet up in Sydney, down the coast from Bob's home in New South Wales.

"It was marvellous," said Bob. "I'm still tingling with the excitement of our reunion that was brought about by your feature. Not only was I thankful for the information provided by readers for my book, but right out of the blue, there was my mate Jackie Bannister in real life, here in Australia.

"We spent hours talking between beers about the fabulous times we had in days gone by."

And Jack, who moved to Scarborough 30 years ago after working as a coach trimmer with East Lancashire Coachbuilders in Blackburn, said: " I really must thank the Lancashire Evening Telegraph for getting us back in touch.

"We spent two days together in Sydney, having a good natter about when we were 'best pals' and went to Cedar Street School.

"They were happy days for us as lads, but not so good for our parents as those were the Depression years. I was really glad to renew contact with Bob as I had been trying to get in touch with him for years after losing contact with him a long time ago while he was serving in the Army in Germany."

And at the time Bob was also trying hard to trace Jack, but his efforts drew a blank as his old pal was where he later ended up himself -- in Australia.

"We emigrated in 1958 under the old £10 assisted passage scheme and spent eight years out there in the Melbourne area. But by the time Bob went to Australia, we had come back to Blackburn," Jack explained.

During their time together in Sydney, Bob and Jack were interviewed by ABC radio together with Bob's publisher about the recollections in his forthcoming book A Penny On Friday of their young days together in East Lancashire.

"Thanks to the Evening Telegraph, I have been in contact with a number of childhood friends from dear old 'Blegburn,' but Jackie is a special one who already had a mention in my book.

"And though my wife had only heard of him through the book, she was as excited as I was about us meeting up again."

Said Jack: "Unfortunately, Bob's book is only being published in Australia, but he has promised to send me a copy."