LEE James always had a feeling he would one day meet the uncle he had never seen.

Little did he know this would happen by chance hundreds of miles away from home while on holiday in France.

Lee had tracked down his uncle through genealogy website Genes Reunited at the request of his mother Anne Edsall.

Anne had never met her half-brother John Downey from her father's previous marriage.

John is now 71 and living in Yorkshire.

Lee and John had exchanged e-mails and pictures which is how he was able to recognise him when changing trains at Lille in northern France.

Lee, of Hampton Gardens, Southend, said: "It was quite a busy train station. We got into the lift and I spotted him straight away.

"I shouted and signalled to wait for me at the bottom. He hadn't recognised me and thought I was someone else. When I told him who I was he really couldn't believe it.

"Unfortunately we only had a couple of minutes together because of our train. I am sure we will meet up again with my mum, sooner rather than later."

His mother Anne, 67, of Rectory Road, Rochford, said: "I always knew I had a brother, but we didn't know where he lived.

"It's uncanny Lee bumped into him in France.

"It must have been someone guiding him. It's difficult enough to meet with someone abroad when you set it up. I probably wouldn't have recognised him from the picture. I would love to meet him."