My mother had given birth to me in 1961. The father was serving with the USAF, stationed at Alconbury. It transpired that he was already married and had a wife back in the US. Just before his tour of duty ended, my mother became pregnant again by him. He had promised to take her back to the US once he'd divorced his wife, but all letters were ignored and he disappeared.

She was taken to St Faith's by a social worker from Peterborough Diocese and gave birth to a daughter, for whom she cared for six weeks before the baby was surrendered to a couple from Coventry.

It would be almost thirty years before mother and daughter were reunited.