TWO brothers and a childhood friend have met for the first time in more than 40 years – while on holiday in Altinkum.

Don Price was the first to go on his travels when he joined the Royal Navy in 1969. In the mid-1970s his brother Bob emigrated first to New Zealand, then to Australia and then to Amsterdam where he has lived for the last 30 years.

Meanwhile, their school friend Johny Ellis emigrated to Australia in the 70s and although visited Manchester now and again, there was never an opportunity for all three to meet up.

Bob and Johny actually met by accident on the Indonesian island of Bali several years ago as neither knew the other was on holiday there and bumped into each other in a shopping mall.

Both kept in touch over the years, and Don became a regular visitor to Amsterdam and visited Johny in Australia in 1990 and 1992.

But it wasn’t until this year that saw all three come together for the first time in over forty years.

Don has a holiday home in Altinkum and while he and his brother were staying there by coincidence Johny was holidaying in Bodrum. So they arranged for a meet-up – the first time they recollected since 1971

Johny said: “It was fantastic to meet up again after all these years and while we might not have been together in person, we have always been together in spirit.”

Johny enjoyed his first visit to Turkey in general and Altinkum in particular. So much so, he is planning to return soon as he thought the resort “was excellent and everyone was so welcoming and friendly.”

Plans are now being laid for a get together in April next year and to attend a Manchester City game together – also for the first time since 1971.