WALLINGFORD is “back in bed” with its French twin town and ready to renew the relationship.

Former mayor Alex Hayton, who earlier this year approached the Brussels-based Council for European Municipalities and Regions to end the French connection, is re-establishing a town twinning committee.

Last week, Mr Hayton and fellow town councillors Dee Cripps and Rosslyn Lester visited Luxeuil-les-Bains to speak to local dignataries about refreshing the relationship.

Mr Hayton wants schools, community groups and individuals eager to set up cross-Channel ties to get in touch with him.

The breakdown of the link between Wallingford and Luxeuil-les-Bains hit the headlines in April, as the towns looked set to dissolve their relationship after 30 years.

During a decade of silence from the town in eastern France, school exchanges ended and Christmas cards went unanswered.

Mr Hayton joked that he was not even sure whether the town was alive or dead.

But after a media frenzy pushed Luxeuil-les-Bains into apologies, the towns agreed to give it a go again.

Mr Hayton said: “The trip went very well indeed.

“We were very well entertained and very well looked after. They are exceedingly keen to re-establish links.

“We had a very good civic reception on Friday morning, with lots of speeches and a glass of Champagne to toast the rebirth of the twinning between the two towns.”

Ms Cripps added: “We held press conferences, we were on TV, we’ve been in the newspapers, and we’ve had tremendous publicity.

“It was an excellent trip and very positive, and I hope we can build on it in the future.”

At a round-table conference on the Friday evening, French schoolteachers and community groups met the Wallingford councillors to discuss future links.

Wallingford School’s headteacher Wyll Willis said that a pen pal link would be set up between Year Eight pupils either side of the Channel.

Other suggestions include sporting exchanges and inviting musicians from the French town to perform at Wallingford’s annual BunkFest.

The 10-year freeze in relations between the two towns is being blamed on a previous mayor of Luxeuil-les-Bains, who was claimed to be uninterested in promoting Anglo-French links amid financial problems for his council.

After returning to England on Sunday, Mr Hayton said: “You could say we’ve re-consumated the marriage – the two towns are back in bed.”

Anyone wanting to set up links with Luxeuil-les-Bains should call Mr Hayton on 01491 836813.