Like bus driver Paul Hawkins (Adoption-net story November 15th), I too have a secret sister and also like Paul, an aunt broke the news to me.

It seems my mother had a baby four years before I was born to a different father. This news was absolutely delightful to me as I was an only and very lonely child and has always longed for a sister.

I found out about it in 1992 and have been searching for her ever since. I've come a long way in that time and gained much information, but still haven't managed to find her.

The little girl was born March 19th 1930 in Saint Helens, Lancashire to my mother Mary Elizabeth Walton of the Running Horses in Lydiate, Lancashire. My sister would be over 70 now if she's still alive.

She was registered in Prescot, Lancashire as Mary Josephine Walton and put into a children's home or convent in Liverpool for adoption. The Nugent Care Society arranged the adoption which took place in Liverpool when she was six months old in September 1930.

The adoption order was dated December 1930. I expect it would have been a Roman Catholic family that adopted her. The adoptive father was a vulcaniser and the little girl was still alive at aged four years. That's all I know.

I've tried every way to discover her adoptive name to try to trace her, but to no avail. I've even had a researcher going through the Adoption Register in London for the past year to try to discover her entry, but so far no luck. I'm so upset that my mother never trusted me enough to tell me.

If anyone can give me any information which would help me discover my sister's adoptive name I'd be so grateful, because this is the biggest stumbling block.

I live in New Zealand and can be contacted by E-mail.

Thank you for the opportunity to write my story.

Patricia Spray Hamilton, New Zealand