A MOTHER who has not seen or spoken to her children in over 17 years will be re-united after they traced her all the way from Canada.

Marie Tordoff, 54, from Queen Street, Hoyland Common lost contact with daughter Hayley and son Darren when her ex-husband won custody and took them to Canada with the Navy.

The home carer never gave up hope of re-kindling their relationship and was delighted when she was contacted out of the blue.

She said: “ I can’t believe it. I always hoped they’d find me one day and they have. I sit and cry when I watch people on tv get re-united. Now it's my turn.” Marie, who later re-married, found out that she is already a grandmother to four and that there were two more on the way.

Now she is desperate to meet them all but admits that the distance and cost may still prove to be a barrier.

She said: “It would be wonderful if they could come over from Canada. I can’t afford to get over there and we’ve got a lot of time to make up.”

And Marie insists that she always thought of her children but did not know how to look for them. She kept childhood pictures and still has their birth certificates to hand.

Now Marie hopes the whole family can start afresh and make up for lost time. She said: “I never stopped thinking about them. They’ve always been in my mind.”