A GRANDMOTHER'S attempts to rekindle a forbidden love affair 50 years on has ended in tears.

Josianne Van Craeyveld had tried to track down a Somerset man she had a brief fling with in the 1960s.

But her detective work ended with the sad news that Peter Baker had died several years ago.

Josianne, from Ypres, wanted to meet up again with former British soldier Peter Baker, but the only clue she had to go on was that he was originally from Somerset.

The couple had a brief romance in the 1960s that came to an abrupt end when her mother discovered - she was opposed to her daughter having a Protestant lover.

The only item that Josianne, now aged 68, has of Peter is a fading black and white photo.

They got to know each other in a cafe under the town hall in the Belgian town of Kortrijk.

Peter, who would have been in his 70s now, was stationed with the British Army in a town called Emblem, near Antwerp.

Josianne's granddaughter, Isabelle Bruneel, made a Facebook appeal to help discover what happened to Peter after discovering the "beautiful (but sad) story".

But her appeal led to the finding that Peter had died in 2004 at the age of 64 - and had been living not far from Josianne all that time.

He'd made his home in the Belgian city of Wommelgem, just 150 kilometres away from the place he kissed his Josianne in the 60s.

He lived there for many years with his wife Rosa, who he married shortly after breaking up with Josianne.

Rosa, who also died a couple of years ago, knew her husband had a short relationship with a young girl from Westhoek just before he met her.

Although dissapointed she wasn't able to meet up with Peter again before his death, Josianne is relieved she managed to speak to a niece, who told her how Peter's life turned out.

Somerset County Gazette:

The Facebook appeal to find Peter Baker.