Thanks to a £99 DNA test, a woman found her biological father, 41 years after his one-night stand with her mother.

Kelly Pinkney (41), a Londoner, was stunned to discover that the kit she purchased to learn more about her family history also included a first cousin.

After tirelessly searching social media for her family, her father, Saeed Sotoudeh met her for the first-ever time in January. The pair have since started a new relationship.

Kelly stated, “It is such an amazing feeling being able to identify who I am first.”

Kelly Pinkney was surprise to find a first cousin when she used the site 23AndMe to discover her ancestry

Kelly Pinkney was shocked to see a cousin, when she searched 23AndMe for her ancestry.

The ambulance worker and her father, Said Sotoudeh, met up earlier this year and are working on their relationship

The ambulance worker and her father, Said Sotoudeh, met up earlier this year and are working on their relationship

“When I am in front of the mirror, my view of myself is different than it was before. It feels complete. I feel like I belong now.’

Kelly was born September 1980. Kelly had already conceived Christmas.

She described herself as an “unhappy” and “sad” little girl, who felt that she was unique.

Initially raised by her single mum, she was taken into care aged four, and spent time in a succession of foster homes before being placed with one family for four years.

Kelly grew up feeling otherness from the white children she grew up with and never knew what she was ethnically

Kelly was raised feeling different to the white kids she grew-up with. She never understood her ethnicity.

After being made miserable, she fled the house and was eventually placed at Danes House Children’s Home, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

There she started to doubt her identity. She was darker-haired, dark-skinned, with brown eyes. Her mum was light.

Kelly explained that Kelly found it very distressing.

“I was bullied in school for being black because there weren’t any brown people further north.”

Kelly describes herself as having had a sad childhood made harder by not having a family to rely on

Kelly says she had a difficult childhood that was made worse by the fact that Kelly didn’t have a family.

“I don’t even consider myself to be that dark. But I was the one who was darkest in my school.

I became obsessed with my colour. It was hard because I lived in a children’s home, so it was difficult for me to be different. I also didn’t have any family. I was also unique because I had color and no one else.

“If I were white, nobody would have ever questioned me.”

Age ten, she moved in with her mother and began to ask her questions about her parents.

People would often ask her where she came from, and she felt uncomfortable answering them because they didn’t know where her dark eyes were from.

She was told by her mum that she was conceived in London. Her dad, she believed to be Egyptian or Arabic, she could not remember his name.

Kelly Pinkney with her son Ashdon, now. The pair live together in Bedford where Kelly settles after splitting from his father

Kelly Pinkney and Ashdon Pinkney, currently. They live in Bedford, where Kelly has settled down after splitting with Ashdon.

Kelly stated, “Mum didn’t find out she was pregnant till eighteen or ten weeks,”

She claimed that many people had said to her, “Are we going to get rid? Because there wasn’t a father back then and it was not common to have a child outside of marriage.

“She insisted she loved me, and kept me.

Kelly left her home at the age of 15 to go live with her boyfriend. Kelly, then 24, had Ashdon (now 17) with her. They split shortly after.

She replied, “At this point, I’d accepted that I wouldn’t find my dad. I didn’t even have his name.”

“Where do I begin?” It was something I considered on more than one occasion. I was curious to see what his appearance looked like. Are you like him? Is he married?

Kelly moved back in with her mum aged ten and she began asking her about her parentage but didn't find any answers

Kelly, a ten-year-old girl who moved in with her mother after her father died, began to ask her questions about her parents but couldn’t get any answers

“But it wasn’t something that consumed us.”

Kelly, a Bedford ambulance driver, settled with her son.

Then two years ago, she was chatting to a friend who had done an ancestry test with California-based 23&Me.

To assess a person’s gene heritage, they use saliva to test their DNA.

At the time, the test was advertised for £150 and Kelly couldn’t afford it, but a few months later she saw it on offer for £99 and decided to treat herself.

Five weeks passed before the results arrived. They showed her that she was half Persian.

Kelly's looks, which were unclear to her as a child, suddenly became clear as she later discovered her Iranian ancestry

Kelly suddenly realized that her looks as a child were not clear to her because she discovered that her Iranian heritage was evident.

It also revealed that there was also a first cousin on the site, and they connected.

Kelly took the leap and messaged him to tell her story of fatherlessness.

He discovered that Kelly had six siblings, of which one must have been Kelly’s dad.

One was dead; two were in America, and the other had not been to London since the 1970s.

The two of them spoke over the phone, and he promised to explain his situation to his mother.

Kelly stated, “I wasn’t trying to cause trouble, but I was still so excited about the discovery.”

“But, he called me back immediately and his tone changed instantly.”

He claimed that there was an error, and his mother and grandmother told him it couldn’t be possible because they hadn’t been here since the 1980s. He felt that the company had committed a serious error.

“He wished him good luck but then cut my off.”

“But I knew my DNA was correct so I did my research. It felt almost like I was an FBI agent.”

After tracking down two brothers on Facebook, they failed to reply to her messages so she spoke to their daughters.

They agreed to undergo a DNA test which revealed that they were related.

After tirelessly doing her own detective work through social media and getting shut down by family members, Kelly connected with her father who agreed to take a DNA test

Kelly had been diligently researching social media but was unsuccessful in her search for answers. Kelly eventually connected with her dad and he agreed to do a DNA test.

An uncle was also able to consent to the DNA test, as was another brother.

As word spread, Kelly got a message from Saeed (another brother), who was still living in London.

Kelly thought he recognized Kelly’s mother and he agreed to take a DNA test. The results were positive, proving that he is Kelly’s father.

Kelly finally met the man she was missing for 41 years. Kelly’s only regret was not being able to have children.

After moving to London at 15, he had continued living in west London and stated that he desired a relationship with Kelly’s mom. But Kelly disappeared, and he never was able find her.

They were confirmed father and child by a second DNA test. The couple met their first time just a few months later.

As she discovered Saeed’s Iranian heritage, her own appearance began to make sense.

Kelly as a baby. She grew up with on white family members from her mother's side which confused her sense of self

Kelly when she was a baby. Her mother was white and she grew up in a family of white people, which made it difficult to feel self-identifiable.

Kelly claimed she snapped a picture of the two of them together, and was amazed by how similar they were when she looked at it.

The couple went out to Persian food for their anniversary last week. They are currently starting a new relationship.

Kelly stated, “When I discovered the truth I was crying uncontrollably for over an hour.” I could not stop. It was all I could think of.

“It was a massive relief. I realized who I really was.”

He said that he never got married, had children or met the right woman. He was also the only one of his brothers who didn’t have children.

“It was a huge shock for him because he never knew I was out there, whereas I knew that he was.”

Now, she hopes to see her grandmother, who lives in the UK as well, and any other relatives in America with whom she has developed a close friendship in the next months.

She said that she didn’t want her dad to be sad or guilty about the things he’s missed. The past has passed and we won’t ever get it back.

“We need to be thankful and content that we have these because, without the test, I wouldn’t know anything about him.” He wouldn’t have lived alone for the rest of his adult life. That’s why I’m grateful.

“I feel amazing now that I realize I’m Persian.

A spokesman for 23&Me said: ‘With genetic testing readily available to consumers, we are increasingly hearing stories of families discovering and reuniting with newfound relatives, and of customers finding unexpected results in their reports.

Although 23andMe is not intended to confirm or locate biological parents, the DNA Relatives tool can help you connect with your participating genetic relatives.

“This option is entirely optional. Customers must choose to take part and be informed upfront that they might discover new relationships by using this tool.