The pit mates who have been reunited by chance after 40 years apart

And it was totally by chance that Tom Robson, 89, and Tom Watson, 77, met up once more.

Mr Robson emigrated to Canada in 1981 but he wanted to be close to his grandchildren and great grandchildren

He returned to his roots and moved back to Sunderland, where he is enjoying being part of a new community at Herriot Gardens which is a McCarthy Stone Retirement Living development.

He was interviewed by the McCarthy Stone team for its Emerald Magazine, a lifestyle publication distributed to all McCarthy Stone developments across the country.

But the magazine landed in the lap of McCarthy Stone House Manager, Philip Watson, in Alnwick.

And when he shared the magazine with his father, Tom Watson, 77, who is now living in Northumberland, Mr Watson realised the article was about his former boss. Tom Robson had been a mentor to him where they worked together in the 1970s.

As well as working together in the pits, the pair would bond together in their spare time, often having a beer together, playing snooker and football. Tom Robson’s daughter Diane, even babysat Tom Watson’s children.

While Tom Robson emigrated to Canada during the time when pits started to shut during the early 1980s, Tom Watson finished his career as colliery manager of three mines in Murton, Westoe and Ellington.

The magazine was the golden opportunity that Tom Watson needed, to reach out to his former friend with a little help from his son Philip, and fellow House Manager at Herriot Gardens, Jude Kane where Tom Robson now lives.

Mr Watson said: “I couldn’t believe what I was reading.”

He added: “If I hadn’t of done the interview with Emerald magazine, I’d have probably never heard from Tom again. I have made many new friends at Herriot Gardens, but being able to catch up with Tom has been a pleasure. We won’t be losing touch again.”

The two men met after 40 years apart.

Tom Robson said they had been “reminiscing over old memories, cold, dark days down the mines, Sunderland Football Club, and what we have been up to with our lives the past 40 years. We also remembered old colleagues who are sadly no longer with us. Tom even surprised me with a visit from another old colleague, Norman Jackson, and his wife Jean, who I had no idea was still in the area, and it was brilliant to catch up with them too”.

Tom Watson said: “I haven’t lived in Sunderland for almost 50 years myself, so I was eager to visit once Tom invited me down. I know the area very well, and the McCarthy Stone development is only 100 yards away from the church where my wife and I married. It’s been lovely to visit the area that holds many great memories for me and to see how Sunderland has changed over the years.

"I was very impressed by the way the Herriot Gardens community has developed in such a short time, with a number of group activities already well established.

“We are both really grateful to the teams at McCarthy Stone for making this all possible.”

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling Sunderland’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe - and click here to get a snapshot of the Echo’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.