Long Wittenham is hosting French visitors at the weekend to mark a new twinning link with Thaon in Normandy.

The idea of twinning began in 1998 with a meeting in Long Wittenham Village Hall. It culminated with a visit to France in February this year by a group from the south Oxfordshire village to take part in the first stage of the formal link.

On Saturday, John Stimson, president of the Long Wittenham twinning committee and former chairman of the parish council, along with Patricia Le Roux, Mayor of Thaon, will sign the twinning agreement in English at a ceremony in the Village Hall.

Trish Gilbert, chairman of Long Wittenham twinning committee, said: "Thaon, which is in Calvados, has a similar-sized population to Wittenham."

She said close links were already being established between families and schoolchildren in both villages.