Two best friends who have known each other 16 years have made an
amazing discovery: they are sisters.
Alison Slavin, 41, and Sam Davies, 43, found they share the same
father after adopted child Alison tracked down her biological
mother.
The pair from Bristol never suspected they were related despite
living remarkably similar lives - they look alike, have similar
taste in clothes, both work as childminders, have two children and
live less than a mile apart.
Alison made the discovery when a friend helped her trace her
birth mother, who revealed her natural father was called Terry
Cox.
She immediately recognised it as the name of Sam's father - and
DNA tests later confirmed the pair are half sisters.
Sister act: Best friends for 16 years, the
women from Bristol made the surprise discovery they are
half-sisters after Alison, right, tracked down her birth
mother
Alison - who was a bridesmaid at Sam's wedding - said: 'We had
joked in the past we were sisters as people used to always ask us
if we were, saying we looked alike.
'But I was shocked to find out we were actually half sisters. I
could not get hold of Sam by phone so I texted her the words "Hello
Sis".
'An hour later I phoned and explained everything and she was so
excited.
'I was adopted from birth and never looked into my natural
parents because I had a lovely and fantastic childhood so I didn't
feel the need.'
The pair met in 1993 through a mutual friend and soon became
best friends, going to a karaoke night twice a week.
Having had a happy upbringing with her adoptive parents, Alison
felt no need to trace her birth family - until she got talking to a
friend in February this year who said she may know how to trace her
birth mother.
A few weeks later the friend supplied a phone number and Alison
boldly got in touch in March before being reunited days later.
Alison said she nervously met her mother - who she does not want
to name - after getting in touch by telephone, but never expected
this second twist in the tale.
She said: 'She told me she was 19 when she put me up for
adoption and gave me the news that my biological father was Terry
Cox.
Alison says she recognised the name instantly as being the same
as Sam's father's, but only let herself believe that it must be
pure coincidence.
'I felt the colour drain from my face: that was Sam's biological
father's name. In all of Bristol, what were the chances of this
being the same chap as Sam's father - but he was.
Sam was as shocked as Alison, but immediately contacted her
father to share the news.
'Sam accepted the news straight away and even got in touch with
Terry on Facebook to tell him. He lives in Spain but he requested
me as a friend on Facebook.
'Two weeks ago we had DNA tests back which confirmed we are
related. Both of us have had happy childhoods so I suppose this is
just the icing on the cake.'
Sam's surprise at the news quickly turned to elation.
She said: 'When Alison texted me telling me we were sisters a
tiny part of me thought she was joking but a bigger part of me
thought, "Oh my God".
'After the initial shock I spoke to Alison and she explained
everything I just thought, "Wow."
'I had always wanted a sister, and what better sister could I
have than my best friend?
'Second to getting married and giving birth to my children, it
was the most exciting thing I have ever been told.
'It's sad we didn't find out sooner but you can't change what's
happened. We're just absolutely thrilled we have found out
now.'
The sisters have now bought a charm bracelet each from Links of
London to commemorate their discovery.
Sam said: "Alison had one and I loved it so I got one and
recently we went out and bought matching charms to signify us
finding out we are sisters.