Long Lost Family: Viewers in tears over reuniting man with UK family after horrific Australian children's home

Virgin Radio

26 Apr 2022, 15:27

Get the tissues out. A heart-wrenching one-off special edition of Long Lost Family has sent shockwaves through the public as it looks at children who were banished from the UK to Australia and faced horrific abuse.

The ITV special aired this week and had fans in tears as they watched the brutal, unbelievable stories unfold including Dorian Thomas Reece and Rex and Kevin Wilton.

The now-retired soldier was sent to Australia from a care home near Birmingham and left viewers in pieces after recalling 'horrible memories' of the beatings and paints a picture of a 'man with a limp' who terrified the children, living in shocking conditions with 'floors stained under the beds with liquid, that was undoubtedly urine, which had dropped there through the continually saturated mattresses').

Nicky Campbell and the Long Lost Family team made contact with Dorian’s father’s family who were "shocked" to find out what happened to Dorian.

A tearful Dorian said on the reunion: "I was apprehensive but when I got that hug, I felt at ease."

Fans commented: "So upsetting. I can’t believe this only stopped in 1970."

A second penned: "Omg this is awful."

Another added: "Horrific."

The second family include Rex and Kevin Wilton who were sent to Tasmania as children while their brother Bruce stayed in the UK.

“I wrote and wrote and wrote and got nothing back,” said Bruce over letters he sent which had been interjected.

Talking to Davina McCall, Bruce, who was reunited once with Rex in 1992, said his late brother Rex had told him he'd had 'a troubled life' including being battered over the head with a fire shovel by one of the carers, which led him to alcoholism and pain.

“I believe now, hand-on-heart, that if Rex hadn’t gone to Australia, he’d be alive right now,” said Bruce.

Viewers penned: "They're are some truly evil people on this earth and the religious sect are some of the worst and as for those responsible for sending babies away for the reasons they did they should rot in hell."

Another added: "Cannot believe human beings were doing this to little human beings! I bet those who were involved in this did not have any bond with their own children or they would never do this."

A third condemned: "Totally heartbreaking. It's horrifying to even imagine of the abuse and neglect those children endured."

The show is now looking for more family members to reunite and you can apply online here if you're over 21 years old.

ITV said: "Are you looking for a missing family member?

"Imagine meeting your twin sister for the first time at the age of 60, or setting eyes on the father you've never known, or being reunited with the son you gave up for adoption on the day he was born.

"Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell present this compelling and moving documentary series.

"The programme will follow the stories of people who have, for one reason or another, experienced long term separation from members of their family and are seeking to be reunited with them.

"The programme hopes to help people who are struggling to find enough information to move closer to a reunion.

"The programme will aim to track down lost relatives and follow the stories from the search through to the reunion."