Camilla Brooker and Paul Greenaway on holiday together

by Lauren Fruen

For Camilla Brooker, absence really does make the heart grow fonder - after she found love more than 4,000 miles away.

The travel agent, of Churchill Way, Faversham, regularly travels thousands of miles to see her boyfriend Paul Greenaway, who lives in Queens, New York.

The transatlantic couple, who have been together for a year-and-a-half, were friends at school in Canterbury but later lost touch – only getting back in contact three years ago through Facebook.

Now Camilla, 34, leaves Faversham every 10 weeks to meet up with the man of her dreams, who moved from Canterbury to the Big Apple nine years ago and works as a personal fitness trainer.

The unconventional couple spend their time together travelling the world and have visited some of the globe's most desirable destinations.

Camilla, who works at Thomson in the town, said: "One of our fondest memories is when we met for the first time since we were teenagers.

"Paul flew out to Saint Lucia from New York and I flew from London.

"We kept in touch on Facebook, like most people do. We started chatting, but I hadn’t seen him for 18 years.

"He said we should meet up and I thought what have I got to lose? He flew me out to St Lucia and it went from there.

"We've been to Berlin, Jamaica, Spain and Rome. I went to New York for Christmas last year."

Camilla added: "I think we actually have more quality time together than most couples.

"We are always flying here, there and everywhere. All of my friends cannot believe it.

"It is really bizarre but we have a great time – we go to lovely places and we chat every day."