Back in 1964, a 16-year-old Christine Wold was forced to give up a baby girl, Rosalind, for adoption.

Now, they have been reunited 57 years later, here on the island.

Christine said: ’I was 16 and a half. And at that time, you know, I wasn’t one of these mouthy 16-year-olds, I did as I was told.'

She said that her father told her she had to give up her baby.

’Dad came from Bolton and he was just a measure of his time,’ said Christine.

’I never blamed him then, and I told Rosalind, I don’t want you to think bad of granddad because he was a lovely, good man. He was just a product of his time.

’And I know my mum was a bit heartbroken.

’But, you know, at the time, I didn’t have a voice as it were. So that was it.’

She added: ’Funnily enough, one of the first things Rosalind asked me was, "did they know about me?" and I said, "Oh, yeah, everyone knew about you" - she wasn’t a secret.’

Ms Wold, now aged 74, had always thought of the baby she had given up.

She said: ’Over the years, you get on with your life. But you wonder how they are, and you’d like to get in touch, but you don’t know. Are you going to upset her, are you going to upset her mum and dad?

’So I just decided over the years to leave it.’

Christine has three other daughters - Ruth, Grace and Becky - who also have always known about the baby who was given up.

The family moved to the Isle of Man from England in the 1980s, as it was decided it would be a good place to raise the children.

After some encouragement at the hands of Becky, whom Christine described as having ’a bee in her bonnet’ over the uncertainty, they decided to try to reach out to the baby she had never known.

The family contacted a company in England, and soon they had found Rosalind Hargreaves, who has spent the last 20 years in Italy.

Ms Wold said: ’They actually found her sister first [and then] Rosalind [who] was living in Italy.

’She has been there since she was 20. ’They contacted her sister Catherine, and then Catherine contacted her, and within two weeks, we were chatting on video link.’

Three years after she gave birth to Rosalind, Christine had another baby, Ruth.

Ruth lives in Zurich, Switzerland - just a two-hour train ride from Rosalind in Milan. So Ruth was the first member of the family to meet Rosalind.

The family found Rosalind around the time that the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down borders across the world, so it took about two years for the family to all be reunited.

Christine said: ’I think it was even worse for her, because although her [adopted] mum and dad were really great - lovely, lovely people - she always missed me.

’I think they told her she was adopted when she was about nine.’

On December 23, Rosalind flew over to spend Christmas with Christine and the rest of the family.

The reunion went as well as anyone could have hoped - complete with a massive meal that the family are still trying to get through.

’At one point she said "I’d like to make you a meal", because she loves cooking,’ said Christine.

’So there were six of us. And she made these two starters of different pastas, which was quite filling. And then she brought out a huge like, I guess you’d call it a meatloaf, wrapped in pastry. Like a beef bourguignon, but it had other stuff in it.

’Well we were stuffed. ’And then she brought out vegetables in like a big roast she’d made, and then gravy!

’We were just laughing so much.

’We’ve had it for five days running, I think. Rosalind said, "I think I overdid it a bit".

’I mean, there was enough there for at least minimum 12 people. But we just laugh non-stop. It’s absolutely wonderful.’

After so much time apart, the family is looking forward to future holidays spent altogether.

Christine said: ’She’s so lovely. she fits right in.

’She’s got a great personality. She’s very kind and very gentle. She’s got a great sense of fun. She’s just a lovely, lovely person.’

A passion for the arts also clearly runs in the family.

Christine said: ’She used to be a dancer. She went to Italy to dance. I was a singer. Her sisters can sing. My mother was a singer.

’So she had that thing in her.’

And what does Rosalind think of the reunion?

’Oh gosh, it’s been her dream’, says Christine.

’Because [the adoption] was down to a Catholic society. And they’re the worst, you know, in a sense - no contact, not ever, blah, blah. And there was no list at that time to put your name on there if you wanted to be contacted.

’I know over the years these lists have appeared, but I just really never thought about it, otherwise she could have found me sooner.

’And I think she kind of after a while, kind of gave up the idea of this happening.

’But it’s just, it’s just been absolutely wonderful.’