Oxford's 58-year association with Bonn, the former capital of West Germany, was celebrated in fine style on Saturday (May28), the highlight of a week-long twinning party.

The square in Gloucester Green became a hive of music and fun as the celebrations got well and truly under way.

Some 250 guests from the German city are attending a host of civic and cultural events aimed at strengthening the bonds between the two communities first forged two years after the end of the Second World War.

Bonn Week is now an established biennial celebration and this year's occasion falls significantly at a time when people recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the end of conflict in Europe.

The links between Oxford and Bonn were established by the Foreign Office as one of the first attempts at post-war reconciliation between Britain and her former enemies.

May Wylie, Oxford City Council's international officer, forecast that this year's event will be a forerunner to an even bigger celebration next year, marking the 60-year link with its oldest 'twin', the Dutch university city of Leiden. She said: "This is the 58th year of the partnership between Oxford and Bonn, and given that over half the guests are young people, the future of the link looks healthy.

"This festival in Gloucester Green is the highlight of the week, with the chance to buy goods from Bonn and enjoy a varied programme of entertainment, including a jazz band, a youth choir, Irish dancers and gospel singers and of course, the Ehrengarde, a splendid band from Bonn in period costume."

For those who missed it, there was the chance to see them all again in the Lord Mayor's Parade and arena events yesterday (Sun).

Bonn Square, a very visible reminder of the relationship, has been the subject of an international design competition to transform the square.

Scottish architect Graeme Massie beat five other finalists to win the competition. His design will enable pedestrians to walk straight through the square. There will be stepped levels and benches to create an attractive meeting place.