FIVE years ago this week, children living 4,000 miles apart but united by the amazing and mysterious journey of a “magic T-shirt” came face to face via Skype.

The internet video call between pupils of Great Lumley Infant and Nursery School, in County Durham, and St Stephen’s Kamuge-Olinga Nurseries, in Pallisa, Uganda, brought together Kate Holmes and Julius – two nine-year-olds who might never have been aware of each other’s existence had it not been for Kate’s old school uniform.

Having outgrown the T-shirt, Kate donated it to her school, which put it in a charity clothes bin.

From there, the story switches to Uganda, where parish priest Deo Eriot conducted a church service.

A small boy kneeled in front of him, wearing a distinctive T-shirt. Intrigued, Fr Eriot asked where the youngster, Julius, acquired it and was told the boy’s mother bought it from a local market specially for his first Communion.

That prompted the priest to search for the school named on the T-shirt’s logo online and, last July 29, email the headteacher at the time, Tracey Wilson.

So began a heartwarming partnership between Great Lumley and St Stephen’s nursery, where Fr Eriot was a director, which had seen the exchange of letters, photographs and experiences.

On Friday, May 15 2015 Kate and Julius came face to face for the first time; Julius, a few classmates and Fr Eriot having driven 30 miles to the nearest internet connection good enough to allow Skype conversation.

In a moving exchange which reduced Kate’s mum Deborah to tears, the Ugandans sang their national anthem, the North-East youngsters sang their school song and children exchanged questions.