THERE’S no such thing as coincidence, they say. Well, think again.

Tailor Richard Seymour was thrilled when he opened the pages of The Press a few days ago and found an article about his father, First World War veteran Charles Seymour, inside.

Charles was one of the First World War veterans interviewed on tape in the 1980s by historian Dr Alf Peacock.

His story is included in a new book by the York Oral History Society, These Were Earth’s Best - and he featured on page 26 in The Press’s own First World War supplement which appeared on July 23.

Charles died in 1983 at the age of 86. So Richard was delighted to see him mentioned in the newspaper. Then, being a methodical man who starts reading his Press at the sports pages and works forward, he continued to flip through the newspaper. Imagine his delight when, on page 17 in that very same issue, he saw a story about his grandson, Ben.

Ten-year-old Ben is the side-drummer and youngest member of the St Andrew’s Church Lads’ & Church Girls Brigade marching band, which had just won the Brigade’s national band championships for the fifth time.

“It was incredible to see them both in the newspaper on the same night,” said Mr Seymour, who runs the family tailor in Bootham that was started by his father. “It was a complete coincidence, but I was very proud!”

Even better, the York Oral History Society book in which Charles’s story originally appeared includes a CD with some of the interviews recorded by Dr Peacock - among them that with Charles.

Ben had never met his great grandfather, Richard said. “But he could hear him talking. It made me feel weird!”