The last time they had seen each other, they were serving their country in the Second World War.

But after Joe Bullen scoured the internet to try to track down some of his former RAF comrades, he found Ed Meddings in Bath and decided to get in touch.

And after exchanging a number of emails over the past two to three years the pair met up this week for the first time in 65 years.

Mr Meddings, 87, who lives in Combe Down with his wife Ann, said he had put his name on a Royal Air Force website hoping to find someone he knew.

So he said he was delighted when 86-year-old Mr Bullen, who now lives in Liverpool got in touch.

He said: "He emailed me to ask if I wanted to meet up and of course I did, we were in the same crew for nearly a year.

"He hasn't changed at all and I was surprised how well he looked."

He added: "When you are in the same crew and you are being shot at by Germans you have shared something.

"And I remember that time and the places we went better than I can remember my brothers."

The pair went for lunch at Green Park Brasserie on Tuesday, with Mr Bullen in Bath until tomorrow on a coach tour with his wife.

Mr Meddings, who worked as a pilot and armourer during the war, said he had been looking forward to showing Mr Bullen the city.

He added: "He was a wonderful wireless operator and we had a splendid crew."

When the war ended in 1945 Mr Meddings stayed in the RAF until 1968 before becoming a civilian pilot and moving to Bath in 1972, while Mr Bullen worked as a local authority gardener for 20 years.

Mr Bullen said: "I have led a very quiet life and he has led a very adventurous life and he's very modest."

The pair have no immediate plans to meet up again but plan to stay in touch.

They are also hoping to find some of the other six members of their crew.