A FAMILY has been reunited after more than 30 years thanks to a kind- hearted heir hunting company.
HeirHunter UK, based in Hartlepool’s Queens Meadow Business Park, undertakes free searches for families looking to be reunited with lost relatives.
And just 30 minutes after contacting Managing Director Fraser Kinnie, Terry Hanlon had the email address of his long-lost cousin Jenny Keshav in his hand.
The pair met this week, along with Terry’s 84-year- old mother Cath and Jenny’s 24-year- old daughter Gemma.
Terry, Corporate Responsibility Manager at Kier Group, explained: “Every time we have a family get-together the conversation would always get around to ‘I wonder what happened to our Jenny’. Every time.
“We have tried numerous times to find her on social media and through old contacts we had but to no avail. Then I read about HeirHunter UK and sent them a message, Fraser called me straight away and actually did the search while I was on the phone. I was absolutely amazed how quickly he located her and how much information he had at his fingertips.”
Fighting back tears Jenny smiled: “To hear that people have been thinking about me all of this time was so lovely. I have just inherited an enormous family in Hartlepool.
“I am just so thankful to have met them all again.”
Cath, who lives in the Rift House area of Hartlepool said: “I am in God’s waiting room now and before I left this earth I wanted to know that Jenny was ok. I feel happy now.”
Jenny’s father John Robert Tebbett joined the Merchant Navy and moved to Margate where he met Jenny’s mum, following an earlier marriage in which he had two daughters.
Now 54 and with four children and nine grandchildren, Jenny admits she was a bit of a rebellious teenager and after living with both her mum and dad following their split years later, she spent a short time in care.
Fraser, who lives in Seaton Carew, completely empathised with her situation, he said: “There are so many families lost through the care system and adoption who are desperate to find family members, that is one of the reasons why we offer the free family tracing service.”
Heir Hunters UK was set up by husband and wife team Fraser and Tracy Kinnie six years ago and specialises in locating missing heirs across the country. They have helped to get hundreds of thousands of pounds to the relatives of those who have died without leaving a will.
Anyone who wants help finding a lost relative or more information on Heir Hunter UK should go to www.heirhunteruk.co.uk or call (01429) 874 548.