The Ashby/Pithiviers Association has made an appeal to anyone who wants to celebrate the towns' twinning link next year - to mark the 65th year of friendship.

On Monday, the Association held its AGM and the group is in the early stages of planning next year's visit to Pithiviers in France.

The Association is responsible for all links with Ashby's twin town of Pithiviers.

In 2025, Ashby residents will stay with host families in France.

Any individual or group interested in learning more about how they can get involved with twinning should email [email protected] for further details.

Last summer, representatives from Pithiviers visited Ashby and were taken to Bletchley Park and Lincoln Cathedral during their stay, with a barn dance and hog roast held at Ashby Rugby Club.

Visitors from Pithiviers met Ashby residents at Ivanhoe School last summer

But representatives from both sides of the Channel have expressed concerns that the towns' twinning, which has been in place since 1960, must bring in fresh faces if the arrangement is to last another 65 years.

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It is a link that goes back to 1960 - and it is the second oldest twinning arrangement in Leicestershire.

Three years ago, the Association marked its 60th anniversary - two years late.

It was to have happened in 2020 but was delayed by the Covid pandemic.