FIFTY years of cultural links between Darlington and its German twin town were celebrated yesterday.

Civic dignitaries from Mulheim an der Ruhr made the journey to the North-East to sample local hospitality and present gifts to the people of Darlington.

The Lord Mayor of Mulheim, Dagmar Muhlenfeld, presented a trophy to her English counterpart, Darlington Mayor Councillor Ron Lewis.

The trophy will be presented on an annual basis to future winners of the town's Young Sportswinner of the Year competition.

The gift was offered to reflect the original purpose of town twinning - to involve young people in developing friendships and greater understanding of other ways of life.

The German party also presented the local town twinning association with 500 Euros, which will be held in trust to buy a bench to be located in North Lodge Park, after its refurbishment.

Councillor Isobel Hartley, chairwoman of the twinning association in Darlington, said: "We are in regular contact with our counterparts and the use of e-mail makes it far easier than in the past. However, nothing comes close to meeting people face-to-face and exchanging ideas."

A series of activities is planned for the week, giving the German guests a chance to explore the local area.