THE message on a website simply said: "I think I could be your sister." It was the start of a reunion which gave Carol Twells back two of her sisters after 55 years apart from them.

Carol, from St Julians, had been adopted when she was six-months-old - something she always knew.

She says: "It was never hidden from me and I knew that I had an older brother and three sister but we hadn't had any contact at all.

"There was never a moment where I can remember being told that I had been adopted but when I was younger it didn't really interest me. I only really started to think about it as I grew older.

"I had a brilliant childhood, but recently I started to think about trying to find out more about my family. It wasn't anything that triggered the search, but I had heard about Genes Reunited and thought 'Why not try it?' so I left a message on Genes Reunited website."

Carol, who is married to Roger and has two daughters, began the search for her older sister Jean Mansfield.

A year ago, Carol, 55, who had grown up in Newport, registered for free with the website which searches ancestors and builds family trees.

She left a message saying her birth name was Gloria Mansfield, she had been adopted and knew she had a big sister called Jean. But it was her other sister, Ann Johnson, 57, who checked the website for messages - and found Carol's last October.

Ann says she had put the family name on to the website to look for relatives.

Carol says: "I put the message on the website but didn't hear anything for months so I just thought they weren't interested in getting in touch. I thought it was a shame.

"Then my adopted sister Pamela called me one day and said there was a message from the site and I rushed round to her house to read it and I couldn't believe it.

"The message said: 'I think I could be your sister'."

It was only after Ann had checked Carol's adopted name, Crisp, with her older sister Jean that they were certain they were relatives.

Carol says: "I was gobsmacked. I can't explain what I thought when I read the message and I was just bombarded with information."

After that initial contact, the sisters were in touch via e-mail - sending photos and information about the families. Ann, who still lives in Kent where Carol was born, and Jean, 67, who lives in Coventry and is called Jean Scully, had always known that they had a baby sister.

So meeting Carol on Thursday was the culmination of years of longing.

Carol says: "When we first met we just couldn't stop looking at each other and hugging, catching up for many years. We didn't stop talking all day - we have laughed and cried talked about the family and lots of things.

"I just can't believe it has happened, it was what I set out to do and it has come true. There are some similarities between us all, similar colourings and the same nose, but it is just fantastic to be with my sisters.

"It feels like we've known each other forever. There has been no awkwardness at all.

"I was nervous beforehand, but we will definitely keep in touch and meet up and meet with my other brother in Kent and my older sister."

Carol discovered she has 11 nieces and nephews to get to know as well as a number of cousins. And the day answered an important question for her.

She says: "I didn't know why I had been adopted but I was told that my father was dying of TB and died shortly after I was born.

"My mother said she couldn't look after a new baby as she wanted to and thought it better for someone else to care for me.

"Knowing why I was adopted was very important for me and I really feel complete now that everything is back together and I know that we will keep finding things out about one another as we catch up and talk."

Ann adds: "It has been great meeting Carol, it was nerve-racking because you are meeting a complete stranger but with Carol we have really got on and we will be seeing one another - this is not a one-off we will be meeting up for weekends and hopefully family occasions."

Jean says: "It is such a relief that we have met and we get on, we have similar personalities and we do just get along with each other, it is great."

For the three sisters the next few days will be spent looking at old photographs and finding out as much information about their lives as they can. And Carol hopes to meet her remaining brother and sister soon.

Carol says: "The internet has really helped us to be together and meet and this day has been a dream come true."

Her adopted mother Enid Crisp, 81, from St Julians says she is pleased her daughter has finally got in touch with her sisters.

She says: "I am very proud of Carol and she will always be my daughter.

"She was always told she was adopted. I told her she wasn't planned, but she was picked.

"It has been a long time but I am pleased for her. We gave her a good childhood and it is nice for her to meet her sisters."