THIS is the heartwarming moment a mum and daughter reunited with a long-overdue hug after the pandemic kept them apart for 15 months.
Jo Cook from Wanborough welcomed her mum Sue with open arms to Church Road on the day lockdown restrictions eased to allow close contact between family members.
The 48-year-old cried happy tears as she held her loved one in a warm embrace.
Jo told the Adver earlier this year that she had kept her Christmas lights on as a "beacon" which would stay up until the day Sue could pop over from Malvern in Worcestershire for a visit and a cuddle.
Lockdown restrictions and coronavirus infection fears had kept them apart but today, that day finally arrived.
This is the heartwarming moment Jo Cook hugged her mum Sue for the first time in 15 months.
— Daniel Angelini (@Adver_Daniel) May 17, 2021
Jo kept up her Christmas lights as a ‘beacon’ while waiting for the day they could be reunited, which has arrived at long last.
Full story in tomorrow’s Adver. pic.twitter.com/qABLdwBGTk
Sue said: "My arms have ached for that. I feel amazing, it's wonderful. I've driven 60-odd miles and waited months. We've kept to the rules and now Jo can take down her Christmas lights!
"It's like the clouds have lifted and the blackest one's gone."
Jo added: "It's been terrifying sometimes, we've both suffered in different ways. I was nervous before she arrived.
"It's like, you have a conversation with your mum and you hold back on things, then when you finish talking, you clarify it all with a hug when you leave.
"I've held back on talking because I don't want to leave her upset with any of my issues, so there's a lot of things she doesn't know and that I don't know -"
"-and that she doesn't want to know!" Sue added with a laugh.
"-so yeah, I was nervous. It's like reconnecting - physically, not mentally," Jo said.
Jo's son Taz smiled and filmed the touching moment from the doorstep while a neighbour held her grandson Reggie, who looked on from over the fence before being handed back to see his great-gran.
It's the first time Sue has cuddled her great-grandson since he was two months old. He seemed a bit confused but happy to see her.
Jo added: "He knows who you are, but he's like 'hang on, you're normally in a screen!' So we'll rekindle that bonding, make a cup of tea, sit in the garden and have a catch-up."
Jo will now take down the festive lights and decorations, including a small artificial Christmas tree in the front garden, and replace them with seed bombs which will grow flowers.
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