3:40pm Thursday 9th September 2010
By Nazia Parveen
TWO long-lost brothers have described their shock and emotion after being reunited after 44 years.
Darwen councillor Martin McCaughran last saw his step-brother Tony Bellouard when he was just three in Mauritius.
The family were living on the Indian Ocean island after Coun McCaughran’s father Frank, was posted there as an ambassador for Cable and Wireless.
However, in 1967 Tony, aged 21, left the island in search of work in Australia and was not to see his family again for more than four decades.
The 65-year-old, who lives in Perth with his wife Marieange, said: “We couldn’t afford to go back to Mauritius until 1989 but when we got back there they had already left for England.
“There was no way of contacting them and I sent Christmas cards to an address that I had in England but they were returned.
“I was never to see my parents again and spent years searching for the rest of my family.”
But, after a chance meeting with a family friend at a party, Tony was able to establish contact with his step-brothers, John and Martin, and his sister Norma, earlier this year.
He then embarked on the 10,553 mile journey across the globe for a tearful reunion with his siblings in Darwen, last Saturday.
He added: “It was incredible. It was a page that I had wanted to close for a very long time and something that I had been dreaming about for many years and now it has finally happened and it feels great.”
The father-of-two spent six days with his family before embarking on a world cruise on Thursday morning.
Coun McCaughran described the moment he set eyes on his brother at the 1940s Day party in Darwen town centre.
The Sudell ward councillor, who is married to Pierina, said: “My brother John had gone to pick him up at the airport and we were all feeling really excited.
“But when he arrived in Darwen and was walking towards me I didn’t recognise him until John pointed him out.
“It was an absolute to privilege to finally meet him and this week has been amazing as we all had a lot to catch up on.
"We will not leave it so long next time.”
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