FOUR pensioners have been reunited 30 years after they last worked together on the buses.

Joseph Scott, 80, from Great Lumley, Etta Burrige, 77, and Connie Newton, 87, both from Perkinsville, and Elsie Douglas, 81, of Chester-le-Street, worked for what is now Go NorthEast.

Joseph was a driver, Etta and Elsie were conductresses and Connie a cook in the staff canteen at the Chester-le-Street depot.

They were reunited when Connie and Etta started visiting Helen McArdle Care's Westerleigh Day Centre in Stanley every Tuesday.

As well as finding each other again, Etta also recognised Elsie. Word reached Joseph, who was visiting the centre every Friday to give his wife a break from caring for him. And he asked centre manager Pauline Dargue if he could go on a Tuesday to meet up with his old workmates.

Etta said: "We have a lot of fun at the centre. We sit and talk about the times we had on the buses and go on outings together in the Helen McArdle minibus, which is just like old times but without the work!"

Joseph, a driver for 32 years, was delighted to see the three ladies again: "I was really shocked when I found out about the coincidence that we had all ended up going to the same care home.

"I recognised Elsie straightaway because I'd always fancied her when we worked on the buses.

"My wife sees me on to the minibus every Tuesday and says 'go and see your Elsie!'"