A PENSIONER who has tended the grave of a schoolfriend for more than six decades is set to reunite her with her parents after a Good Samaritan came to his aid.

Harry Maddison was heartbroken when he lost close schoolfriend, 14-year-old Moira Jones, to meningitis in 1950.

The 79-year-old has been visiting her grave, in the Victoria Road cemetery, in Barnard Castle, ever since.

The retired postman, whose mother is also buried there, even restored Moira’s headstone three times after he found damage at the edge of the cemetery in 1960.

Mr Maddison discovered Moira’s parents, Ernie and Elsie, were buried in the same cemetery but in a different plot - and only Ernie's name appeared on the headstone. As a result, he started a campaign to have Moira and Elsie’s names added to the headstone, so they could all be together.

After telling Moira’s story to Bishop Auckland stone carver, Adrien Hopper, he was shocked when he offered to do a new headstone for free.

“I went to see Adrien and told him Moira’s story about how we met at school and when I was ten I got diphtheria but I survived and then four years later she got meningitis and she did not - we were both filling up as I was telling him,” said Mr Maddison, of Sunderland.

“Then he said he would do the job for free and I could not believe it because you don’t hear of it nowadays.”

Mr Maddison, who was fundraising with the help of Barnard Castle town councillor and amateur historian, Gary Marshall, after posting on the Facebook page, Ye Old Teesdale Tales and Pictures, is now set to donate the money he had already raised to a meningitis charity and children’s hospice.

Mr Hopper, who owns Auckland Memorials, in West Auckland, said: “When Harry told me the story I thought it was a story of devotion which was worth some community help.”

The 42-year-old dad said he always tries to do some work for worthy causes every year so he can give back to the community.

“I believe in karma and good will so every year I do so much work for free,” he said.

“I think if you do one act of generosity it comes back to you ten-fold.”

He added: “I really admire Harry for what he’s done over the decades – they say a person never dies as long as their name is still spoken in the world so Harry has kept her alive and I think he deserves recognition for being a good soul and a good friend.”