TEARS flowed when a father and daughter saw each other for the first time in 26 years.

And the meeting between John McGinty, 50, of Duke Street, Burnley, and his daughter Wendy, 26, of Nottingham, went so well that Wendy is planning to move back to Burnley for good.

Wendy was brought up from six weeks old by her grandparents and the pair had never even seen a picture of each other - until last night.

Wendy tracked John down after her grandparents, the late William and Mary Clough, died and she spoke to him for the first time just over a week ago.

John recognised his daughter as soon as she walked in to the Rifle Volunteers pub, in Todmorden Road, and it was an emotional reunion for them both.

John said: "It was great. Somehow I just knew it was her straight away when she walked in. We both had a bit of a cry and the first thing I did was hug her. "After that we got a few drinks and it was all right. I am spending some more time with her today and she's staying with my sister, her new auntie, overnight.

"She's planning to come back up at the end of August to celebrate her birthday."

Wendy, a former care assistant at Fern Hill rest home, Manchester Road, moved from Burnley to Nottingham almost two years ago to live with her partner but she has been searching for her father for the last five years.

Her real mum Marilyn Clough, who died in 1994, split with her father before he had the chance to see Wendy and she moved out of town leaving six-week-old Wendy with her grandparents.

Wendy said: "It was a lovely night. The hugs started straight away and we immediately clicked. We didn't say anything at first because everyone else came round to say hello.

"I met my auntie who I am staying with, another auntie came across from Earby and I met my cousins. I had no relatives and then I got lots.

"My dad was completely different to the image I had of him. I don't know what I expected but he was better. We just hugged and cried, hugged and cried.

"I had been thinking of coming back to Burnley for a while but now it seems a lot more worthwhile."

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