This is the emotional moment a former choir boy who was raped by a nun aged just 12 was reunited with the long-lost child his convent predator gave birth to.

Edward Hayes was abused for almost three years during his time at the John Reynolds Home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, which was then run by Catholic nuns from the order of the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph.

He was raped from when was 12 years old until his abuser fell pregnant with his kid.

William Hayes with his newly discovered daughter who was conceived when a nun raped him in a convent

The 76-year-old begged the Catholic Church to let him know basic details about the child he fathered in the 1950s.

He told officials he'd die happy if he could just know the sex of the youngster, but they remained tight lipped.

But following the publicity he received last month, he has finally been able to meet his 62-year-old daughter and her four kids.

Following a wave of publicity Mr Hayes has met with his 62-year-old daughter after tracking her down

Mr Hayes told the Daily Express: 'It was the day I dared never believe would happen. This is it now, now that we have found each other. My twilight years are going to be good ones.'

His daughter said: 'It was a day of pure joy for me and my family. After 20 years of looking for my father, I have finally found him at the age of 62. And my children now have a grandfather.'

Mr Hayes, who lives in Carlisle, bravely waived his right to anonymity to reveal that he was raped by 27-year-old Irish nun Sister Mary Conleth during his time at the home six decades ago.

Mr Hayes (pictured with his 62-year-old daughter as they reunited) waived his right to anonymity to reveal he was raped

Mr Hayes was just 10 years old, and known as Billy, when he was taken to the home. Having grown up poor and neglected and suffering from malnutrition, arriving at the home initially appeared to be a blessing.

He said: 'It was nice to be somewhere warm, where I was eating food and having hot baths. My first years there created some great memories for me.

'I was a great student, I sang in the choir, I could read perfect Latin and playing football - even being touted by local football clubs.'

This changed when Irish nun Sister Mary Conleth arrived a couple of years later. She worked in the laundry room and asked for Mr Hayes' assistance.

Mr Hayes was regularly left on his own with Sister Conleth, giving her access to him daily.

Mr Hayes, a 76-year-old grandfather who now lives in Carlisle, revealed he was raped by 27-year-old Irish nun Sister Mary Conleth during his time at the John Reynolds Home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

He said: 'I had barely started work in the laundry when it happened. I was still twelve. She'd pull my trousers down, push me to the floor and lay on top of me.

'She would pull her habit up and she had no pants on. She'd talk dirty to me. I would not let her kiss me. I thought babies were made by men kissing women.'

By the time he was 14, Mr Hayes was even allocated his own room - something unheard of at the home.

The reason for the perk soon became apparent when Sister Conleth started paying him visits after lights out.

The abuse came to an end in April 1956 after the nun declared she was pregnant.

Mr Hayes said: 'At the time I didn't even understand how I got her pregnant because I never kissed her. We were more naïve back then.'

The nun was sent back to Ireland to live with her sister, while Mr Hayes was banished from the home after Christmas 1956.

He was then adopted by another family and began his chaotic adult life where he became an alcoholic by the time he was 21.

He pleaded with the Catholic Church for years to let him know basic details about the child he fathered in the 1950s, but officials remained tight-lipped

Mr Hayes got married and had two children but his marriage soon failed.

He went into the Army and served in the Royal Artillery, but left five years later in 1969 after developing an ulcer, as a result of his drinking, and was given a medical discharge.

Mr Hayes said: 'I couldn't ever settle, every single day I thought about the abuse, I started drinking to try to blot everything out. I never told anybody what happened to me, not even my wife.'

It was only in 1998 that Mr Hayes, who worked as a printer after leaving the Army, started another journey - this time a long and arduous road to justice.

He said: 'I read an article about a Catholic Church abuse survivor and thought, 'I'm going to speak out, I need to do something about this'.'

He first went to the police then a social worker and his local MP and, years later, was directed towards a Catholic care charity.

But it was only when Mr Hayes was directed to survivor group MACSAS (Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors) through a leaflet he picked up at the local library, his life started to change.

Through the group, in 2010, Mr Hayes met MACSAS volunteer Noel Chardon, also a survivor of Catholic Church abuse, who was on a mission to help others come to terms with their abuse after experiencing failings in care for himself.

Retired English teacher and trained psychologist Noel, 72, also offers his own telephone befriender service, similar to the Samaritans, and supports survivors in his own time.

The former choirboy said: 'It was the day I dared never believe would happen. This is it now, now that we have found each other. My twilight years are going to be good ones'

He said: 'Victims of the Catholic Church are treated absolutely appallingly. I know that first hand. Edward was set up in a cul-de-sac by the Catholic care charity who dumped him there. They are waiting for people like Edward, like myself, to die so they can say this all happened such a long time ago and they're so very sorry.'

Noel helped rehome Mr Hayes in a better area, claim benefits and build bridges with his family. In 2012 Mr Hayes was told he would receive legal aid, so he could make the Church accountable in court.

He fought for compensation and received a paltry £20,000, most of which was swallowed up by his legal fees.

But he feels the amount is derisory and doesn't atone for what he went through and is still trying to find out what happened to the baby he fathered.

Mr Hayes said: 'I was pleased to bring them to account but it was pittance. I worked out they were giving me about 22p a day for my ordeal.

'I had to pay £10,000 to the solicitor and then I had costs of around £5,000 myself so I didn't come out with much at all.

'But at least I made them acknowledge what they had done to me. And now, as I speak publicly, I think will be the most satisfying of all.

'As for the nun, she died in 2002 so I might never find out what happened to the child. I am still speaking to organisations in Ireland. I have gotten used to being determined.'

Mr Hayes bravely waived his right to anonymity to lift the lid on his abuse and encourage other victims to come forward.

He said: 'I have been through hell for the majority of my life, trying to hide what happened to me.

'Nobody should go through that. Seeking retribution has been great solace for me.'

A spokesman from the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph said: 'I am desperately sad abuse took place to Mr Hayes while he was placed under our care.

'The Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph have offered our sincere and unreserved apology for the abuse he suffered whilst resident at the John Reynolds Home and all the subsequent pain and trauma which followed the actual abuse.

'There is no place for abuse in the Church and along with every other agency caring for children and vulnerable adults we now have stringent Safeguarding policies which aim to prevent any possible recurrence of what happened to Mr Hayes.'