Amanda Bayford (nee Phillips), Pamela Albanezi (nee Bevilacqua), Lisa Springthorpe, Carmelina January (nee Bevilacqua), and Karen Pycroft (left to right) were out on the town in Peterborough wearing their fur coats in 1980.

Karen Pycroft, who had three daughters, died aged 47 and her sister, Helen, stood in for her in the reunion photo. She has two sons and a daughter. She said: “It was lovely to recreate the picture on behalf of Karen.”

Amanda Bayford (nee Phillips), Pamela Albanezi (nee Bevilacqua), Lisa Springthorpe, Carmelina January (nee Bevilacqua), and Karen Pycroft (left to right) were out on the town in Peterborough wearing their fur coats in 1980.

Amanda was waiting for her boyfriend Mick, who later became her husband, in the town square and photobombed the picture as she knew the other girls from school. She said: “I would have been about 18. I think it must have been a Saturday night and I was waiting for Mick.” The pair met in 1978 and have now been together for more than 40 years. Amanda has worked part-time at a school for the last 20 years, still lives in Peterborough, and has three children.

Pamela lived in America for 22 years and returned to Peterborough in June 2006. She has three children and now works nights as a cleaner at the hospital. She said: “We would have been on a pub crawl in Peterborough. I was best friends with Helen Pycroft, but she remained at home and her sister Karen joined us that night. I’m still great friends with Helen, we’re like soul mates.”

Lisa said: “I was about 15 in the picture and best friends with Karen. The others were all a little older than us but we were all good friends, lived near each other and grew up together. They were some of the best years of my life.” Lisa, who has a fiancé and now lives in Downham Market, said she lost touch with the girls over the years but they plan to meet up now they are back in touch. She added: “It was lovely to see them all again.” Thanks to Alison Lynn for loaning Lisa her mother’s coat.

Pamela’s sister, Carmelina January, has lived in Lowestoft for 24 years and has two children. She said: “I was 17 in the picture and would have been potato and onion picking at that time. There are only 11 months between me and Pamela so we call ourselves twins for one month of the year. Helen had a baby so she didn’t come out that night and her sister Karen came out instead. I remember we wore rabbit fur coats.” Carmelina has worked in a school kitchen for the last 20 years. She added: “I tried to leave but my children loved the hours I worked and the fact I had the long school holidays with them so I stayed.” Her daughter lent her a fur coat for the reunion photo. She still sees Helen a lot and all the friends are planning another catch-up soon.

Karen Pycroft, who had three daughters, died aged 47 and her sister, Helen, stood in for her in the reunion photo. She has two sons and a daughter. She said: “It was lovely to recreate the picture on behalf of Karen.”