Two next door neighbours from Balham got talking at a street party last week and realised they were childhood friends - 27 years ago.
Simon McGregor and Jonathan Webb were living side-by-side in Fernside Road for months before discovering the spooky coincidence.
The 47-year-olds, who went to the same primary school in South Africa, only met during the Big Lunch event held last Sunday.
Mr McGregor said: “It was almost comedy really. We just started talking about South Africa, and I said I was going back for a school reunion.
“I gave him the name of the school, and he said he had a very good friend there. It turned out to be me!”
The two friends grew up in the district of Pietermaritzburg, spending their days playing and helping to organise school discos.
They lost touch after university and neither had any idea the other had moved to London.
But they were destined to meet again at last Sunday’s event, although neither recognised the other when they got chatting.
It turned out the pair had spoken on previous occasions in the street, but the penny never dropped.
They now both work in the City, with Mr McGregor in banking and Mr Webb working as a lawyer.
Mr Webb said: “It was an amazing experience. Nobody seems to believe it. It’s not just the same suburb or the same street, but we’re the house nextdoor- we share a wall.
“We are delighted to see each other again. It’s just amazing.”
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