CHESHAM and its Spanish twin town Archena has celebrated a decade of international friendship.

A party of 24 Spaniards visited England to cement the relations built up by the Chesham Town Twinning Association.

A cross-stitch embroidery panel featuring the crests of the English and Spanish towns, mounted and framed, was presented to the people of Archena.

Tony White, chairman of Chesham Town Twinning Association, said: "It is a beautiful piece, the result of many hours of needlework and patience. So would you please accept this as a further token of the friendship bet-ween our communities, which we trust will endure for many years to come."

Maria Dolores Ferrer, president of the Archena twinning committee, presented Ches-ham with a carved wooden stand for a book that was presented to the town in Archena last year.

Cllr Chris Spruytenburg, the town mayor, welcomed the visitors and delighted them by addressing them in Spanish for part of his speech.

He said: "Special guest was Steve James, the mayor who signed the original twinning document."

Also present were former mayors Peter Gibson, Andrew Ketteringham and Cllr Patricia Lindsley, all members of the association.

Representing the mayor of Archena was the town's cultural councillor, Maria Trini Gomez, making her first visit to Chesham.