MORE than 50 Gallic 'twins' visited Bourne End over the weekend as a car park was renamed in honour of French town Octeville-sur-Mer.

Their coach was greeted in Wakeman Road, where a new sign christens the car park as 'Octeville Place'.

Rob Deville, the chairman of Bourne End Twinning Association, said: “They were very pleased with it and we had a brilliant weekend. It was quite an achievement to put up 50-odd people."

Last year a road in Octeville-sur-Mer was renamed 'Rue de Bourne End'.

The visitors were taken to Hampton Court on Friday and enjoyed a walk from Cookham to Bourne End on Saturday, said Mr Deville.

They were also impressed by MP Dominic Grieve, a fluent French speaker, who attended a Saturday night 'soiree' at Wye Valley School, he said.

“His French was absolutely perfect and he went round and spoke to all our guests individually”, said Mr Deville.

The association was set up in 2003 and Mr Deville, 67, added: “We have got to know all the families quite deeply now - I think they are superb people.

"We are always looking for new people to get involved too - even if you don't live in Bourne End itself, but nearby perhaps."

Octeville-sur-Mer is a small farming town in Normandy, in the north of France.

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