Two fans of The Beatles have been left shocked after receiving a message from Sir Paul McCartney half a century after trying to contact him.

Barbara Bezant and Lyn Phillips, of Essex, England, were starstruck teenagers when they recorded a message to the singer on tape before posting it to a London theatre where the band was due to play in 1963.

The two ladies were reunited with the recording on British Tv's The One Show on Friday (27Sep13) after it was unearthed at a junk sale - and they were stunned when the presenters then handed over a note from MCCartney.

The message reads, "Hi Linda and Barbara, thanks very much for you lovely tape. It finally got through, better late than never. Great to hear that you found each other after all these years. Keep enjoying the music, love Paul."