A WOMAN is issuing a plea for help to track down her childhood friend who was originally from the Paisley area.

Laura Blake has been trying to trace Fiona Luney for several years after the two were brought together by chance in Australia more than five decades ago.

Around 1970, Fiona, then approximately ten years old, left on a small yacht named the Clochard II, built by her father, to sail around the world.

Arriving to the north-east of Australia in the Great Barrier Reef, her father Harry was struck down by acute appendicitis, leaving Fiona and her older sister Andrea to sail the yacht through treacherous waters, in search of help.

Laura, 64, told the Gazette: “After some days they spotted an oil tanker and, releasing one of their few rescue flares, managed to alert the tanker.

“The girls then managed to sail the small yacht alongside the tanker, whose crew then secured the yacht and radioed Thursday Island, the northernmost island town of Australia and the nearest hospital.

“At this point, my father, Douglas Blake (a Scottish doctor from Glasgow) was taken out to the oil tanker by pilot boat to examine Harry, whom he immediately evacuated to Thursday Island hospital, by pilot boat, and operated on, on arrival.”

The tanker’s crew then sailed the Clochard II to Thursday Island to leave the family anchored in the harbour, awaiting Harry’s recovery.

Two days later Fiona entered Laura’s school classroom on Thursday Island and sat next to her, beginning a close friendship.

The Luneys remained on Thursday Island for more than a year, sailing away on the Clochard II around 1972.

“Their story, however, doesn’t end there,” explained Laura, whose own parents left Glasgow for Australia in December 1960 and remained there.

Later Harry, Fiona and his youngest daughter Patricia were shipwrecked off the coast of India, while enroute back to the UK.

They were rescued and spent some time in India before returning to the UK.

“I understand they returned to the Paisley area but I have no current leads as to their whereabouts now,” she added.

Laura, who has spent her life living and working abroad and now has a base in Switzerland, has tried several avenues to try to find her friend.

“I started looking for Fiona some years ago when everyone went online with Facebook etc,” added Laura.

“She does not appear to have any online or social media presence. “Of course, she may have married and be present under a married name.”

Can you help Laura with her search? If so, please contact gillian.mcpherson@newsquest.co.uk.