A WOMAN who has been searching for her Irvine-born sister for the last 30 years has finally been reunited with her family - thanks to the Irvine Times.

Two weeks ago we reported how Christine Prowting had been searching for her long-lost sister Anne Smith Little for more than 30 years.

And today we can reveal that, thanks to our article, Christine’s long-lost family has finally been traced in Irvine.

However, the news was bittersweet for Christine when she was dealt a tragic blow and told that Anne had passed away just eight months ago in December.

Christine, 72, told the Times: “I am so sad that I won’t get the opportunity to meet Anne, but I look forward to meeting and getting to know her children and the rest of her family.” Christine’s search for 74-year-old Anne Smith Little began more than three decades ago when she found out her father William Palmer Little, had been married and had a daughter -Anne - before she was born.

Anne’s mother, Agnes, did not survive childbirth and passed away a few days later and Anne was eventually adopted by an aunt.

William then moved to England in the early 1940s where he met Christine’s mother, Ellen.

After that Christine never knew what became of her half-sister Anne and went on a 30 year search for answers.

The pensioner’s search finally came to an end when, two weeks ago a reader saw the story in the Irvine Times and realised it was about her friend, Anne Frame.

The friend contacted Anne’s daughter Joyce Finnegan who got in touch with the Times office and the family was, at last, reunited.

Joyce, 43, of Woodlands, said: “It was lovely to speak with Christine, but it was bittersweet at the same time because my mum has passed away. It’s just such a shame that my mum will never get to meet her. Mum knew she had a sister out there somewhere and my sister-in-law had tried to trace Christine in the past, but just didn’t manage to find her.

Christine is now planning to visit Irvine and meet up with Joyce as well as Anne’s other children, Caroline Owens, 54, Brain Frame, 50 and Colin Frame, 49, as well as her husband Alec Frame, 77.

She says she is thrilled at the prospect of finally finding out more about her sister and father and perhaps seeing a picture of him for the first time.

She said: “I am so thrilled to finally be in contact with my sister’s family. We are visiting Irvine at the end of the month so we can all meet in person and I can hopefully discover more about my father’s side.”