FORMER Bridgwater publican Pete Tidball was celebrating in January 1998 after receiving the best present ever - the chance to meet his long-lost brother after 54 years.

Pete, who used to run the River Parrett pub in Salmon Parade, got a phone call before Christmas from his estranged sibling, Brian Roberts, who was living on the Isle of Wight.

The pair were separated when Pete was about three and Brian, just a baby at the time, was adopted due to difficult family circumstances.

But Pete said he was left 'over the moon' after receiving the surprise phone call to his Sedgemoor Road home.

His wife Rene said: "Pete had known he had a brother but had done nothing about it for years.

"Then, about four years ago, we decided we would go on the adoption contact register.

"We didn't hear anything for ages but then received a letter saying a match had been made.

"But it still came as a real shock when Brian phoned just after 6pm on the Saturday before Christmas. It was a really nice surprise."