Skip to content

Brian Robson: 'I have no idea what happened to them'

Brian Robson wants to find two Irish friends who helped him leave Australia as a stowaway in 1965.

The Welshman said he would like to thank the men who helped him make the "dangerous and nightmare" journey home.

Brian, from Cardiff, was 19 years old when his friends helped nail him into a crate so that he could mail himself from Melbourne to London.

At the time he said he was desperate to return home but could not afford the air fare.

7 April 2021

Plane stowaways

Explore More

Lucy Vladev eating mince pie

Are mince pies good for you?

Dee Montague-Coast

Endometriosis cost me my job

Charlie Buckland wearing a santa hat and a scarf. she has long blond hair and is wearing a coat.

How can you have an eco-friendly Christmas?

Jenny Rees with toilet and poo emojis and red screen behind her

Droppings or smooth sausages, what's a healthy poo?

Brooke and her two-year-old daughter Ivy. Ivy holds a yellow toy and has brown curls, she looks into the camera as her mum Brooke snuggles her shoulder.

Christmas 'just another day' for family in hospital

Men cleaning road sign

Road sign cleaner says videos are satisfying

Mughshot of Brian Whitelock staring at the camera

Neighbour calls 999 over triple killer

Sabrina Lee standing in front of a map of the UK with place names: Weston-Stacey-Mare, Smithy-on-Sea, Gwenedd, Brynmawr, Petestow, Dawnpatrick, Birmingpam, Micklesbrough, Gavsgow, Loch Nessa. Photos of Gavin, Nessa, Smithy and Stacey

Oh, what's occurrin' with the weather?

Ruth Jones wearing a leopard print jacket

Why was Gavin and Stacey set in Barry?

Woman with Christmas tree in backround

Agony of period pain left woman in hospital

Four members of the cast of Gavin and Stacey reunite for an official cast photo: Smithy, Gavin, Stacey and Nessa. They are stood against a brick wall. Smithy (played by James Corden) is wearing a grey jacket and blue jeans and has his arms crossed, Gavin (played by Mathew Horne) is next to him, wearing a blue jacket with his hands in the pockets and blue jeans. Next to him is Stacey (played by Joanna Page), she is wearing brown cowboy boots, a white floral dress and a pink jacket, and she is stood next to Nessa (played by Ruth Jones), who is wearing a burgundy leather jacket and a black dress with long black boots.

Wynne Evans recites his fave Gavin and Stacey line

Megan Davies in a cream coat with blonde hair holding a phone which shows the constituencies

Do you know your new constituency?

Commuter train inside seen from seat in carriage

Male voice choir surprises commuters with Calon Lân

Owain Hughes and Steven Meo

'My Gavin & Stacey joke was just a red herring'

Terel Edmunds sits on the sofa in Cardiff Central square, he wears a black t-shirt, has brown eyes and short brown hair with an afro curl.

Could your energy bill be about to drop?

Catrin-Mai Huw as Natalie Lewis staring ahead, with brown hair in a grey jacket

'I had a 32-second stare-off with Stacey'

man in high vis vest and helmet

'I understand why people are fed up with 20mph'

sinkhole being filled in Merthyr Tydfil

Repair work begins after sinkhole nightmare

Rebecca has long dark hair and is wearing a green and cream polo neck sweater. She is sitting on the stairs with her hands on her lap. There is a plant with big green leaves behind her. She is not smiling.

Sexual abuse victim says monk stole her childhood

Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones feels Gavin and Stacey 'really exist'

Three young men stand around a Christmas tree in the yard of a farm. A brown and white goat is leaning over a fence eating the tree.

Social farming creates opportunities for people with additional needs

Young adults have been learning the ins-and-outs of rural life through social farming schemes.

Northern Ireland

Kevin Murphy wearing a navy O'Neills branded coast and green zip jumper underneath. he is standing in front of rocks and grassy hills

Winter solstice shining new light on Slieve Gullion history

Dozens will summit Slieve Gullion on Saturday to watch dawn break on the shortest day of the year.

Northern Ireland

Craig Ballentine at Dublin Airport, he has short light hair and a beard. He is smiling at the camera and wearing an orange hoodie and a blue back pack

Return from Dubai 'a Christmas miracle'

Craig Ballentine was arrested in Abu Dhabi airport in October because he posted critical comments about his former employer in Dubai.

Northern Ireland

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old

Turning 100 with my neighbour: 'Awk they made a mistake!'

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old.

Northern Ireland

Manchester United footballer Kobbie Mainoo is on the left hand side speaking to John Nellis on the right. Mainoo is wearing a white hoodie with red lettering. Nellis is in a black t-shirt and has a beard and short, shaven hair

Belfast YouTuber rubbing shoulders with Mbappé

Northern Ireland

Boy playing esports, large computer game screen

Esports 'is the fastest growing industry in the world'

Young people at the special school in north Belfast are studying towards a qualification in esports.

Northern Ireland

Andrea Nelson speaking into press mics, she has short blonde hair and is wearing a pair of black glasses. She has a burgundy coat on with a neutral scarf. Behind her are three men dressed in long coats and scarves.

La Mon investigation 'really challenging for the families'

A Police Ombudsman report has been unable to explain why records from the original police investigation were lost.

Northern Ireland

Stella McLoughlin - a woman with blonde hair sits in a grey sofa looking at the camera.

'This has been an absolute scandal from start to finish'

Stella McLoughlin from the campaign group Ladies with Letters says what has happened was unforgivable.

Northern Ireland

A woman is speaking into a number of news microphones, branded with the logos of various broadcasters. She is reading a statement from a sheet of paper she is holding in both hands. She is wearing a brown jacket, pink shirt and has black glasses and long blonde hair.

'Heinous predator' sentenced for abuse offences

Police say David John Andrews was a "heinous predator" who groomed young girls across the UK.

Northern Ireland

Man draped in Syrian flag outside broadcasting house, red brick buildings in background, with crowd celebrating in background

'I'm going to go back and hopefully build Syria all over again'

Crowds have gathered in cities across the world as many Syrians celebrate the fall of the Syrian government.

Northern Ireland

Rapper Smack Jay stands in the middle of a classroom with a microphone in his hand. A number of schoolchildren wearing red school hoodies are watching him.

'The best way to make change is through music'

Rapper and activist Smack Jay from Zambia brought his flows to Rathcoole Primary as part of Human Rights Week.

Northern Ireland

Michael McKinney - a man with short white hair wearing frameless glasses is talking outside of a white stone building.

'Soldier F trial must proceed without delay'

William McKinney's brother Michael says "another step" had been taken for justice for Bloody Sunday families.

Northern Ireland

west belfast schoolboys in grey uniform sat around table looking at paperwrk

The schoolboys tackling violence against women and girls

Schoolboys in west Belfast have been learning about how to recognise and tackle violence against women and girls.

Northern Ireland

Olivia McVeigh - a young woman with long blonde hair looks at the camera while sat on a grey sofa in a white room

'I wanted to create a safe space for those with alopecia'

Olivia McVeigh, from County Tyrone, has been named on BBC's 100 Women 2024 list.

Northern Ireland

Kevin Sinfield - a man wears an orange headband with MND written on it in white and blue fonts while smiling. He is stood in front of a large blue MND banner.

Sinfield brings MND running challenge to Belfast

Kevin Sinfield is running 230 miles across the UK to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease.

Northern Ireland

Protesters holding up placards with the Palestinian flag on them standing at the front of a cathedral. A priest in purple robs is standing behind an alter behind them.

Priest responds to pro-Palestinian protest

About 30 pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted a service at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh.

Northern Ireland

DJ Próvaí wearing a green, white and orange balaclava

'Kneecap win is a victory for freedom of expression'

Belfast rap group Kneecap has won its discrimination case against the UK government.

Northern Ireland

Chloe Wilson, a woman with blonde hair

Sexual assault survivor wants to be voice for others

A survivor of sexual assault has said her future now centres on “victim empowerment”.

Northern Ireland

Emma, with long brown hair and wearing a purple hoody, looks to the side of the camera

How schools can help bereaved pupils with grief

Emma, who lost her brother, says it can be "overwhelming" to deal with grief alongside school work.

Northern Ireland

Tom Hadden sits on a grey sofa. He is wearing a stripey top.

'Rural road crash changed my life'

Tom Hadden was driving a bin lorry down a country road when another truck collided with his vehicle.

Northern Ireland