Neighbors who hadn’t met in 40 years fell in love via the Nextdoor app

Two neighbors who lived just meters apart for 40 years without ever meeting fell in love after connecting via the Nextdoor app.

Chris Place, 44, was using social media to shop for bargains when he spotted Michelle Tooby, 42.

After seeing her profile picture and instantly falling in love, Mansfield’s Chris decided he would leave Michelle a message and the couple started chatting.

It wasn’t until the couple went on their first date that they realized how much they had in common.

They’d played in the same park as kids, both had kids in the same school, and incredibly had never met despite living minutes apart their entire lives.

Chris and Michelle have been together for seven months now and are seeing each other a lot more often.

Chris described how he and Michelle “had crossed paths countless times since we were kids.”

He said: “It’s like it just wasn’t supposed to happen until now. That was the last thing I expected. I was looking for something extraordinary and found just that.

“There’s just something about her looks that really draws me in. She is a very friendly person and you can tell by looking at her.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, she can be very cheeky too.

“As soon as we started chatting, we hit it off like a house on fire: there was something extraordinarily special about it.

“We’re planning for the future, but I haven’t asked the question yet. This is great because when we get married our last name will be Place-Tooby – like “place-to-be”.

Recalling that “none of us were looking for love,” Michelle said, “We had given up completely.”

She added: “I’m so glad we found each other. It’s so different than I’ve felt for anyone before. It’s just meant to be and now is the right time. It’s like our relationship has been waiting for the right moment.”

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