TWO estranged teenage sweethearts were reunited after not seeing each other for 20 years, due to a lack of mobility.

Tony Parkins, 87, who lives at Anisha Grange Care Home, in Outwood Common Road, Billericay, was reunited with ex-girlfriend Grace Duffin, 85, last Thursday.

The heart-warming reunion came after Hallmark, the company which runs the home, granted Mr Parkins’ Christmas wish to see Grace, whom he has been friends for almost 70 years.

Speaking after the reunion, Mr Parkins said: “I had a lovely day and I am so grateful to Hallmark Care Homes for arranging this, when they had told me at the home I had won the competition, I couldn’t believe it.

“Me and Grace have always been good friends and we have always had a laugh together.

“I think a good sense of humour is essential in life, you can survive most things if you can laugh about it at a later date.”

Grace was chauffeured by a Rolls Royce Ghost from her Finchley home in London, to enjoy a private lunch with Tony.

Grace said: “I had a wonderful day, I felt like royalty being picked up in the beautiful car and the home provided me with a lovely lunch.

“Me and Tony also had a great time reminiscing about old times.

“We talked about how we used to climb mountains and go on bike rides.

“We’ve done so much together over the years, we’ve travelled, and I have gone to places I would of never of seen or done without Tony.

"He is just a nice bloke with a great sense of humour and we have always got on well since we were boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Both born in Romford, Tony and Grace met at Methodist Youth Club in Gidea Park in 1947, aged 20 and 17.

They dated, but Grace had her heart stolen by somebody else, while Tony went on to meet the love of his life, late wife Joan in 1954.

Grace’s first marriage didn’t last, but she met her second husband Ken Duffin, and all four remained friends for many years.

Sadly, Ken died in 2009.

Now reconnected, the friends said they will try and see each other again soon, which the care home said it will help to organise.

Following the reunion, Tony sent Grace a bouquet of her favourite flowers - red roses – with an attached card that read “With Love, Tony.”