DETAILS of the official opening of the new Leiden Square in the Westgate Centre have been unveiled.

The mosaic, which has been created to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the twinning link between Dutch city Leiden and Oxford, will take place at 12pm on Saturday.

Civic visitors from Leiden, Oxford City Council, the Oxford Leiden Link and city performers will be at the official naming by the Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Jean Fooks, and the Burgemeester of Leiden, Henri Lenferink.

From 11.30am until 3pm the event performers will include Leiden's K&G Band and Oxford's Cutting Edge band.

Dance performers Messy Jam and a bicycle bar created by Pedal and Post will sell beer imported from one of Leiden's best craft breweries which has been specially brewed.

Mrs Fooks said: "It's lovely to have this recognition of the twinning link at a time when it's important to maintain a close relationship with out twin cities in Europe.

“The mosaic is a fine way of marking this friendship and will serve as a reminder of it for visitors to the Westgate Centre for years to come.”

Mr Lenferink said: “I am proud of the ties that Oxford and Leiden have had for 70 years now, and this wonderful occasion makes me very happy. This mosaic is a beautiful, physical symbol of the twinning of our cities. It is a tremendous way of sealing our joint history.

"We must keep giving substance to our twinning arrangement in the future too, so that it will keep contributing to the good relations between our nations."

The event is free and everyone is invited to the square on Saturday.

Oxford is also twinned with Bonn in Germany, Perm in Russia and Leon in Nicaragua.