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192.com reunites Stone-Age descendants

192.com, the UK's leading people-finding directory, has reunited the living descendants of the UK's 'Cheddar Man', who lived 9000 years ago.

Considered Britain's oldest complete skeleton, the stone-age remains were found in Cheddar Gorge in the county of Somerset and were excavated in 1903. Genetic fingerprinting later found that some descendants of the Cheddar Man still live in the same area of Britain.

Sharing the caveman's DNA is Adrian Targett of Somerset and Craig Dent of Melbourne, Australia. Using 192.com's search database which contains the contact details of over 30 million UK residents, Craig was able to contact Adrian and the pair are due to meet at the end of May.

Businessman Craig hopes to visit the very location of the Cheddar Man's discovery with Adrian Targett, to be reunited from opposite ends of the earth in the very cave that their ancestors called home.

"I also share the same DNA with Adrian, though my paternal ancestors left the UK and arrived in Australia in 1860, my maternal ancestors left the UK and arrived in Australia in 1911. It is my maternal ancestors that link me with the Cheddar Man," Said, Mr Dent.

"I had been researching the family history for many years and first visited the UK in 2008, since that visit I have returned to progress my research in 2011, 2012 and now again in 2013. With the recent discovery of my DNA and the link with Adrian Targett, I contacted 192.com to try to obtain his address and telephone number. I knew Adrian lived in Cheddar, but I needed 192.com to find his up to date contact details so I could arrange a reunion with him," he added.

"We were thrilled when we learnt of Mr Dent's search," said Dominic Blackburn, 192.com's Product Director. "By accessing 192.com's huge database with over four times more residential listings than the UK phonebook, Craig could find his man. We reunite scores of families and friends a year but it's rare to reunite people linking back to the dawn of civilisation."

"I knew through my research that my links to the Bristol region dated back many hundreds of years on both my Paternal and Maternal linages," said Mr Dent.

He added:  "However, I was surprise to have learnt through my DNA that my link with the region dates back thousands of years. When I first spoke with Adrian and other distant relatives in Stoke Gifford and Winterbourne, the heartland of my Paternal link to the region, I was humbled by their kindness and warmth.

"Saying I am excited by the prospect of meeting them in late May is an understatement. 192.com's services were invaluable in assisting me to bring these connections to life. I consider Bristol and its surrounds very much a part of my story, I feel a strong link to the area and have taken a keen interest in it. I enjoy being there and feel quite at home and am looking forward to returning."

The Cheddar Man was found in Cheddar's Gough cave, which is believed to have accommodated stone-age inhabitants for a hundred years. A painting of a mammoth was found on the cave wall in 2007, and bones discovered in the cave led researchers in 2011 to believe that dwellers ate their dead and turned their skulls into cups.

Craig Dent is a decorated businessman and Board member of Variety, the Children's Charity and ambassador to Australia's multilingual broadcaster, SBS.

192.com is the UK's most awarded online directory, helping find people, businesses and places for 11 million users a month. On 192.com, users can search over 700 million records including free directory enquiries, edited electoral roll information, local business listings, interactive mapping, aerial photography and property reports.