'Illegitimate' daughter reunites parents after 40-year-long separation

A young couple who were forced apart 40 years ago when they had a child out of wedlock are to marry, after being reunited by their daughter.

Christine Orchard, 57, and Chester Locke, 64, first met in a youth club in 1965 and became childhood sweethearts. When Mrs Orchard found out she was pregnant two years later, at the age of 16, it caused a scandal and her mother said she could only keep the baby on the condition that she cut Mr Locke, then 21, from her life.

Mr Locke was told never to contact Christine or his daughter Tracey Orchard, who was raised by her maternal grandparents, and went on to marry another woman and raise his own family. But Miss Orchard, 40, Taunton, Somerset, decided to trace her father following the death of her grandparents and brought him to meet her mother.

Despite their long separation, the pair - who were both divorced - soon fell in love again and are due to marry in two weeks. Mrs Orchard said: "There was always quite a lot of hoo ha about Chester because of the age difference. When my parents found out I was pregnant my Mum and her sisters went into a room and basically decided my future. They told me that if I wanted to I could keep the baby and they would bring her up, but I had to stay away from Chester. Mum told me that if I saw Chester in the street I should walk away."

Miss Orchard, a mother-of-three, said she was amazed when the romance rekindled so quickly after she found her father. She said: "My intention was to get him to meet his grandchildren and great-grandchild. I'm shocked but it is lovely. It's wonderful to see them where they should have been 40 years ago."

Mr Locke, who works in a saw mill, said: "We've made our mistakes but she's the love of my life and I couldn't be happier. If you'd have told me ten years ago that I'd be marrying Christine after all these years I would never have believed you, but here we are. Getting married means a lot to me. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together as man and wife."