Friends reunited as neighbours again in March care home

John Devine/BBC Ruth Bester and Brenda Sired sitting in chairs and smiling as they hold hands — Ruth Bester, left, and Brenda Sired, who first met in the 1950s

A friendship that first started more than six decades ago has been unexpectedly rekindled in a care home.

It was an emotional moment when Ruth Bester, 78, met up again with Brenda Sired, 86, at Aria Court in March, Cambridgeshire.

The pair had been close friends when they lived in Haddenham, near Ely, in the 1950s.

The touching moment when the friends were reintroduced led to “tears of joy”.

Ruth Bester was moved to tears when she had a coffee with her old friend

John Devine/BBC Ruth Bester beams with happiness after meeting up with a friend she first met when she was a teenager — Ruth Bester was moved to tears when she had a coffee with her old friend

Brenda Sired, left, and Ruth Bester in Haddenham in the late 1950s

Richard Sired A black and white picture of Brenda Sired and Ruth Bester in Haddenham, near Ely, in the late 1950s — Brenda Sired, left, and Ruth Bester in Haddenham in the late 1950s

Back when they were first friends, when the Sired family lived in Haddenham, such was their bond with Ms Bester that the Sired children called her “Auntie Ruth”.

The pair had not met in recent years after their lives took them on different paths.

Mrs Sired went into full-time care in Stretham, near Ely, but when her family moved to March, she went with them.

Ms Bester, who lived for years in Ely, recently spent months in hospital after a fall. When she came out, her family applied for her to live in Aria Court with her dear friend.

Their families were there to see the pair reunited.

“It was very emotional,” said Jackie Basham, Mrs Sired’s daughter.

“There were tears of joy as Auntie Ruth and Mum both held hands and smiled.

“They have a lot of catching up to do.”