FRENCH-lovers in Chipping Sodbury have celebrated 25 years of the town's link with its counterpart on the continent.

A group of more than 30 people from the Sodbury area enjoyed the Bank Holiday weekend in Cesson, a similar sized town to the south of Paris.

They included youth leaders, teachers, ramblers, past presidents and founder members of the association, parents of children who have experienced the youth exchange and residents who have made life-long friends in Cesson.

Chipping Sodbury mayor Roy Vickers also went on the trip to formally congratulate the twinning associations on both sides of the channel. He said: "I am honoured to have been invited to this very special occasion - 25 years is a major land-mark and one which I hope will become a long journey."

Presents from Sodbury Town Council and Dodington Parish Council were presented to Cesson's mayor Christian Didion and in return, a picture was given to Mr Vickers, painted by Cesson artist Danielle Estur.

Mr Didion said he was "moved" to be celebrating such a successful twinning. He added: "I am grateful to the different presidents who have always worked in the same spirit, reinforcing the bonds which link our two towns.

"I am convinced this friendly relationship is a wall against conflict."

The link was first made by a French engineer, working on part of the Concorde project based in nearby Melun.

Celebrations of the silver anniversary were enjoyed by all, as families and friends shared their memories of the past 25 years.

See next week's Gazette for a special report on the history of the twinning.