OXFORD'S multi-million new shopping centre will honour a 70-year twin town relationship which emerged from the rubble of the Second World War.

The south square of Westgate Shopping Centre is to be named Leiden Square, commemorating Oxford's links with the Dutch city that was occupied by the Nazis 75 years ago.

An event at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday night celebrated the naming of the square ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said: "The link was set up after World War II and this is a reminder of how long-standing the link is and how important it is.

"After the Second World War, Leiden had been badly affected, they had no resources at all.

"The link with Oxford was really important and many people went across with sporting teams and really established the link early on.

"For them them it was really significant as they were back in Europe."

Mr Price said the two towns had a seminar before the evening celebrations to consider how they would develop links in the future.

He added: "We have a lot of twinning links but we have come together as a single group now and want to do things on a collective basis.

"We are looking at how to harness social media more to strengthen these links.

"It is significant today because it just demonstrates how strong the bond of friendship has become between our two cities.

"Now Leiden will forever be a part of our own city and urban landscape and our link can be remembered."

About 100 guests attended the ceremony on Saturday including members of the newly-formed European Association in the city.

Burgemeester of Leiden, Henri Lenferink, said: "It is an honour for us of course.

"Of course there is already a Leiden Road in Headington but this feels like a promotion.

"We have had a relationship with Oxford since 1946 as it was founded just after the war when people were thinking that they were going to have to start all over again after the occupation.

"It was extremely important for the people of Leiden because it meant they could go away, come to Oxford, stay with a family and have a holiday they would not normally would have been able to afford."

Mr Lenferink added that solidarity and links with cities across Europe was needed to defeat people's fears of the future.

He said:"And now we are living in this time when xenophobia is rife and people are afraid of the future.

"It is very important that we have these links and relationships to show people that they should not be afraid.

"We are see people wanting to stay within their own group and I think that is the wrong attitude to have.

"I think we have to make communications and use these links to show people that it is very good to keep in contact with each other."