Kay Jenkins (62), from east Belfast, contacted the Belfast Telegraph after seeing a black and white snap of a young Bestie with a mystery woman in this newspaper.

"Yes, that was me," said Kay, who explained that her relationship with the former Manchester United star lasted for two years, after they began dating when she was 19 and he was 16.

Mrs Jenkins also told the Belfast Telegraph how she helped Ulster's favourite footballing son to cut his landlady's dog's hair to send to legions of adoring female fans.

"When we were together loads of girls would come up to George in the street," she said.

"Some asked for a bit of his hair. I don't think he liked it. He was a quiet person.

"He also used to get hundreds of letters from females. Once, when I was visiting him in Manchester, he asked me to help him reply - so we cut Mrs Fullaway's dog's hair off and sent it back."

Mrs Jenkins - who is happily married with three grown-up children - also recalled how George wooed her with records of Cilla Black's hit song You're My World.

"It was a big romance," she said.

"George was beautiful. He was a lovely human being, so kind and generous. We had great times together.

"I remember him coming to pick me up at work in his red sport's car. He always brought three red roses and all the girls went to the windows to stare.

"He also kept sending me records of You're My World. He sent about 400 records of the same tune. It was supposed to be our love song between us."

Mrs Jenkins, a former computer operator, admitted going to watch Bestie play at Old Trafford many times, although she doesn't like football.

She also recalled how distance damaged their relationship - as well as the incident that split them up.

"He wasn't around," she said.

"I went to a formal dance with a friend and the next night I went to the cinema with the same person.

"George's uncle told him about it. He was angry and when he came home from Manchester, he came round to my house and kicked the door."

But, despite the kerfuffle - and even after she married Brendan (67) in 1967 - George still kept in touch.

"He sent me another copy of You're My World, along with a note, after my eldest daughter Pauline was born," she said.

"But that was the last contact we had. If we had stayed together things may have worked out differently because George went on the wild path when we split up. From we broke up he was totally unhappy."