Looking for a 'connection' in Grimsby

• More or Less
• Thursday, 13 July, 2006
• BBC Radio 4, 1500 GMT

He asked me to find out.

I made a random choice, 21-year-old Steven Conricode, who had announced his birthday in the Scunthorpe Telegraph.

He lived in Grimsby, I had absolutely no connections to Grimsby, so this was going to be interesting. I began in earnest.

I asked a few friends in the office, my friend Sonia came through first.

She knew a guy called Dan with Grimsby connections.

Dan knew a guy called Mark, who was very proud of his Grimsby roots.

Now, Mark had left Grimsby, but he knew a woman called Joyce (his best friend's mum). Joyce still lived in Grimsby, and had a nephew called John, who lived in the same area as Steven - Wybers Wood.

I gave John a call filled with anticipation that I would complete my mission in an amazing five steps, but suddenly the trail stopped.

He did not know anyone else in the area and neither did his wife.

I was so disappointed, just when I was gathering momentum.

Anyway, I turned back to Joyce hoping she would have more contacts and she did.

Her young niece, Danielle, who she said knew someone who lived in the Wybers Wood area; could it be Steven?

Sadly, no, but she did know a boy called Ben! Did Ben know Steven?

Nope.

How frustrating!

Ok. I had to think quick to keep the search alive: 16-year-old Danielle had just left a school very near Wybers Wood.

So, with renewed hope I did my second about turn and called the school and spoke to a Mrs Nevin who told me that a Matthew Conricode went to the school.

Conricode! The surname that had proved so elusive was now being uttered.

Had I found the final piece of the puzzle?

Was this Steven's brother?

You bet he was!

So that is how I came to be connected - granted in eight rather than six steps - but connected nonetheless, to 21-year-old Steven Conricode, from Grimsby.

"Hey, Steven," I said. "Did you know we've got what feels like half of Grimsby trying to find a connection with you?"

"Really?" said Steven. "That's mad isn't it?"