IT is a love story that stretches back over the years. Sadly there is no happy ending but, hopefully, somewhere in or around Southampton is the woman who was a seafarer's lifelong sweetheart.

Ron Cruse, who spent all his working life on the liners that sailed in and out of the docks, was 71 when he died in April.

When his brother Charlie, together with his wife Dorothy, sorted through Ron's belongings they came across an old chocolate tin containing a few precious photographs including some of a girl they remember as Betty.

Charlie said: "When we opened the tin there on the top was her photograph looking so happy. It must have been taken when the two of them were on a day out together, perhaps back in the 1950s.

"Ron never married as I think he must have carried a torch for her all his life. I remember one day he came home and said he had been down to St Mary's Church and watched as she had married. He told us: 'Someone else has married my girl.'

"We think her last name was Hickman and it has been about 20 years since we last saw her when she was working in the shoe department of Tyrrell and Green's store in Southampton.''

Charlie and Dorothy would like to meet up with Betty again, to renew their friendship and share memories of Ron.

"We would love to see her again as she might not even know that Ron has died,'' said Charlie who lives in Sholing, Southampton.

"Ron spent all his life at sea and at one time lived in Anderson Road, Chapel. We would often see him with Betty, she was a lovely girl.

"We would love to give her this photograph which I know Ron treasured for so many years.''