Darlington has been given the highest praise by a Polish exchange student.
Tomasz Szynalski won a two-week scholarship to take part in Darlington College of Technology's English language summer school.
The summer school attracted people from ten countries this year, including Russia, Iraq and Brazil.
Tomasz said: "I have to say that my stay in Darlington was a truly fabulous experience.
"I have not only improved my English, but also increased my knowledge of English culture, both through interaction with people and educational visits to the local area."
Les Baker, the college's head of international operations, said: "The summer school has again been a resounding success, and we look forward to hosting overseas visitors next summer and throughout the coming year.
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