We at the Ballymena Times pride ourselves on helping those who want to contact former school pals or long lost family.

To be truthful, it's not always successful, but we do enjoy a fair rate of reunification!

Michael Kirkpatrick sent us one of those appeals a few years ago and as a result the former Greenvale Street man was back in town this week to meet old friend, Carl Shaw.

And we're delighted that he called into the Times office in Ballymoney Street to thank the staff for all their help in making his visit possible.

"I had found the old Ballymena Times website and saw that the appeal for exs-pats to get in contact. It was worth a go, so I sent off an e-mail which was printed as a letter in the paper ... I couldn't believe it when Carl got in contact with me a few days later!

"Carl and I met because we were both interested in motorbikes - we both had BSAs way back in our younger days. We became great friends and in 1968, I was best man at Carl's wedding to Susan so it was wonderful to hear from him."

Carl recalls: "I was originally from Greenmount Terrace and Michael was from Greenvale Street and we both attended the old Ballymoney Street Primary School but we didn't really get to know each other until we met up down in Carnlough, which was a great destination for the motorbike boys in the sixties.

"I was looking through the paper for a photo of my grand-daughter when I saw this letter from Michael and the picture he had sent with it. I couldn't believe it at first but I sent off an e-mail to the address supplied and we've kept in contact ever since. It's been great to see Michael back again," says the former Flexibox worker.

Michael left Ballymena in 1975, originally for South Africa, where he met his New Zealand born wife Maureen. After just three months of courtship, the couple married and in 1981 made the move to the Otago region of central New Zealand, not far from the wonderland landscape made famous by 'Lord of the Rings'.

Apart from meeting up with his old mate, Michael had been keen to visit his Auntsm Princes Street ladies, Sarah and Margaret (Madge) Kirkpatrick. Sadly, Madge passed away five weeks ago.

"I wanted to give them both a big hug but sadly I just missed that opportunity with Aunt Madge," he says.

However, if there was a tinge of sadness to that aspect of the journey home, Michael was absolutely thrilled to see Carl again.

"I'd like to thank the Times for putting me in touch with Carl. He's a great guy and I have to admit I was pretty emotional when this whole process got going - it's been fantastic," he says.

And what of Ballymena, the town which Michael left in 1975?

"The changes are phenomenal, but the one thing which sticks out for me is the narrowness of the streets and the volume of traffic. I seem to recall the roads being wider in my day but maybe that's just the memory playing tricks.

"The fact that you can scoot up to Ballymena from Belfast in 25 minutes is another thing which stands out - the whole Province seems to have changed so much and I do have to say the town is looking in great shape."