Generations of an historic North Yorkshire family spread around the world are set to meet for the first time in a mammoth reunion. More than 100 descendants of the Wilstrop family, who originate from the medieval village of Wilstrop, just outside York on the A59 near Tockwith, will be gathering for a four-day reunion at the end of June.

Wilstrop village vanished long ago, but many descendants of the Wilstrop family keep the name alive in countries all over the globe.

After years of research preparing countless Wilstrop family trees, people will be travelling from as far as America, Canada and Holland to meet up with their distant British relatives on June 24.

Pam Elliott, from Acomb, is one of the descendants of the Wilstrop family and is the York co-ordinator for the event. She said: "We are very excited about this huge gathering of people who are all distantly related. Most of us have never met before, so there will be many new faces and distant relatives to meet. It may be quite emotional to meet people who you know you share a common thread with.

"Maybe some of us will never get to meet again, so this will be a very momentous day."

The event has been organised by Pam's seventh cousin Penny Wilstrop, who lives in Kent. And Pam says it is the modern high-tech e-mail system that has helped a historic family to be re-united.

She said: "The whole event has been a mammoth project to organise. It has taken Penny six months to prepare. She has been e-mailing people all over the world to try and co-ordinate the weekend - so it will be a huge achievement when we all get together."

As well as 104 descendants, many other interested parties from local villages will be joining in the weekends events.

Pam said: "As we have been investigating the family and digging up information, many people interested in local history have become keen to find out more and join in the fun."

All the descendants will be given a badge to wear during the weekend so that they can locate one another.

The highlight of the activities will be a Wilstrop family thanksgiving service at St John the Baptist's Church, in Kirk Hammerton, where although there are no Wilstrop family graves, there are some of Wilstrop villagers.

Pam said: "We will be making a collection at this service and any money we raise will be given to the International Red Cross, who are organising the searches of families split up by war.

"At a time when we can gather together as a family, we must think of other families who are separated."

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