Former Mayor John Jones who helped liberate the town of Lucca in 1944 and fell in love with it, has just written its history, writes Iain Townsend.

Lucca in Tuscany, Italy, is one of Abingdon's twin towns - and the book's author Mr Jones was instrumental in setting up the link.

The beautifully printed book is a dual-language production and Mr Jones, 83, has been to Italy to collect copies.

It will then be launched in Abingdon on December 2 by mayor Lesley Legge.

Mr Jones is a Freeman of Abingdon, its former mayor and a former chairman of the Vale of White Horse District Council.

He organised the twinning with Lucca in 1972 and is one of its honorary citizens. He is an honorary member of the Federation of Italian Volunteers for Liberty.

Mr Jones said: "You could say I have been researching the book since I first saw Lucca in 1944.

"But the serious work has been done over the last five or six years.

"I am very pleased with the result and I will be bringing back 300 copies to be sold locally.

"I love Lucca and its people and they have a lot of affection for Abingdon."

The book takes the story of the walled city from the early pre-Christian Roman era up to the liberation in September 1944.

Mr Jones said: "I was astonished to find while researching the book that Lucca had many contacts with Britain - and that in one of the great churches lies the tomb of a Saxon King from Wessex whom the Pope made a saint.

Richard the Lionheart and Henry VIII were both helped by Lucca's bankers.

The book is 13 in paperback and 15 in hardback.